Husband-wife duo, photographer Jakob F.S. and stylist Vibe Dabelsteen are bringing their creative project to Tisvildeleje
Jakob F.S. and Vibe Dabelsteen have been creating cinematic images of iconic women for nearly two decades. The husband-wife duo founded the glossy biannual Vs. Magazine in New York in 2005, with Jakob as Editor-in-Chief, Creative Director and sometimes-photographer and Vibe as fashion director and stylist.
Shortly after having their first child, they returned to their native Tisvildeleje, Denmark – a tiny town on the north coast of the island of Zealand – shuttering Vs. after eight successful years. “When we returned home, we had the urge to continue our photo projects,” the couple tells me over email. “However, this time we focused on the many tales and crooked destinies from our own small birth town”
“Helena’s character is inspired by the most known tale of Tisvildeleje. The story of a Swedish noble woman Helene who was murdered, her body thrown in the ocean and carried by a rock across the sea to Tisvildeleje, where she became a saint. Kings and queens have been sleeping on her grave” .
“Sankt Helena” Photo: Jakob F.S. Styling: Vibe Dabelsteen Hair & Makeup: Sidsel Marie Bøg Model: Helena Christensen.
Located by the sea, Tisvildeleje is somewhat of a summer vacation hotspot for wealthy Danes – “the Hamptons of Denmark,” as Jakob and Vibe put it. “It's a small village by the sea with a history of local fishermen living quite isolated and rough lives, yet at the same time a sought after place for artists, intellectuals and eccentrics who have unfolded their creativity from there,” they explain.
“Coming home" - Caroline plays the role of the city girl returning home to her parents where time stands still. Photo: Jakob F.S. Styling: Vibe Dabelsteen Hair & Makeup: Julie Garret Model: Caroline Winberg. Photo: Jakob F.S.
And so came “Women’s Tales,” a cinematic photo project lensed by Jakob and styled by Vibe. Starring Scandinavian supermodels including Helena Christensen, Siri Tollerød and Caroline Winberg, the images appear as film stills, telling whole stories in a single frame. “We have only worked with women we know, admire and that we know are capable of telling a story, with a certain sense of drama,” they say.
“The Affair” Photo: Jakob F.S. Styling: Vibe Dabelsteen Hair and Makeup: Sidsel Marie Bøg Model: Siri Tollerød.
Opening October 16th as part of “Tisvildeleje Kulturnat,” the exhibition was a labour of love, by two creatives who have been building a visual language together for years. “Working together as a couple, creating images with stories behind the pictures, has become almost like a drug,” they say. “Vs. Was our first baby, and since we got two real babies, that – for good and bad – occupy most of our time, the photo projects we do together are our creative breaks from everyday life.”
“The Maid" - Christine Sofie plays the maid serving a wealthy family in a historic home of Tisvildeleje. Beneath the beauty, times could be rough for a young girl Photo: Jakob F.S. Styling: Vibe Dabelsteen Hair & Makeup: Louise Bruun Model: Christine Sofie Johansen.
“Women’s Tales" runs through October 16th – October 23rd at Olskærvej 1, Tisvildeleje