Gabriel Isak: The Blue Years
Swedish photographer Gabriel Isak uses surreal imagery to explore themes of melancholy, psychology, and introspection. His ongoing series, The Blue Years, is a deeply personal project inspired by his own decade-long battle with depression. Through quiet, dreamlike compositions, he creates a space for viewers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions.
Photography became Gabriel’s voice when words failed him. His minimalist aesthetic, often featuring faceless figures in desolate landscapes, invites the audience to step into his world—one shaped by solitude, but also by healing and self-discovery. The Blue Years is more than just a body of work; it’s a testament to the transformative power of art and a call to break the stigma surrounding mental health.
Gabriel’s work has been exhibited globally, including at Galerie XII in Shanghai, Paris, and Los Angeles, and his images have been featured in Juxtapoz, VICE, Elle, and Adobe. His ability to translate emotion into visual form has earned him international recognition, making him a standout figure in contemporary fine art photography.
We asked Gabriel to pick out some of his favorite pieces for this PROFOLIO.
Birth: The image explores the idea of birth and rebirth, after coming out of the depression.
Blue Moon: This image was photographed at the ocean beach in New York at dusk. Here I have covered myself in a blue bodysuit hugging the female model. The image explores the ideas of being trapped in the arms of melancholy.
By Your Side: This image was photographed early evening in Death Valley, CA me and another model are hugging covered in a bodysuit. The image explores the ideas of ones shadow and melancholy-self meeting each other and embracing one another, in addition to having one's companion by their side.
Disintegration: The image explores the idea of being trapped in the blue world where everything is disintegrating.
Illumination in the Dark: This image was photographed over a lake in Sweden where the model is facing out the water. The image explores the idea of a person being the light in the blue dark world.
In the Blue Fog: This image was photographed in a lake in the Netherlands where I am inside the water covered in a blue bodysuit. The image explores the idea of drowning in one's emotions in the blue fog of depression.
Nightfall: The image explores the idea of the shadow being our companion when going through depression.
Ostracized: This image was photographed on a snow field in Sweden. Here I have photographed myself covered in the bodysuit 7 times and composites them together in the photo. The image explores the idea of feeling ostracized and not fitting in among the other when one is deep in the blue.
The Flight: The image was photographed on a beach in San Francisco. The image explores the idea of the depression leaving.
