John Selbing: Den ofrivillige fotografen/The Unintentional Photographer

Glass and photography – stunning beauty This book is devoted to John Selbing (1908-2001) – an artist, designer and photographer – who came to work with and for glass throughout his professional life. He stayed at the famous Orrefors glassworks for 46 years, during two world wars, periods that witnessed dramatic political and economic transformations, not to mention technological advances. Selbing devoted his life to two artforms that developed radically during the 20th century, glass and photography. He came to Orrefors in 1927 an was taken on as a draughtsman by Simon Gate, but the 30s brought financial difficulties and the company could no longer afford external photographers. Selbing was offered the position as a company photographer, afraid of losing his job he accepted. Thus began the story of this exceptional photographic production. Selbing had an artistic approach to commercial photograpy and experimented with backdrops and lighting. He soon became familiar with all forms of photography: still lifes, portraits and reportage. He was quick to realize that pictures formed a link to the market and comprehesion, something he used in all advertising material produced for Orrefors.