Henrik Malmström: NO

NO is a photographic investigation documenting poorly executed electrical installations. Through these images, the series reveals an urban landscape characterized by improvised and challenging solutions in the realm of electricity. These interventions, ranging from precarious connections to unexpected configurations, serve as a visual metaphor for human fragility and creativity in the face of formal systems that are often inaccessible or insufficient. The photographs aim to construct both a symbolic and literal portrait of the social dynamics manifested in these electrical interventions, prompting reflection on the relationship between technology, social informality, and urban space as a web of constantly competing forces.

This is the second part of the La Trilogía del Margen book trilogy:
Garbage Systems – No – Private Art

Henrik Malmström (b. 1983, Bangkok) is a Finnish artist working between Helsinki and Buenos Aires. Alongside photobooks — often developed over long periods — he produces videos, objects, and carries out various artistic and curatorial projects.

He self-published his first book, On Borrowed Time (2010), before moving to Hamburg, where he completed the St. Georg trilogy (Life is One Live it Well, A Minor Wrongdoing, OK Cloth Shop) with Kominek. In Hamburg he also co-founded the Müllkellergalerie — a premium art gallery located in a garbage room.

Since relocating to Buenos Aires, he founded Vaciarte, a subcultural platform for questioning and promoting visual culture. His video trilogy Sujeto a Cambio (2019) marked a return to Southeast Asia, and in 2022 he established Pseudo — an Aimless Cultural Organization.

To date, Malmström has produced 15 video works and 33 publications, ranging from traditional photobooks and special editions to experimental zines. He is represented by Kominek (Berlin), Carmen Araujo Arte (Caracas), and ATLAS (Buenos Aires).

In collaboration with Amatörfotografklubben i Helsingfors.