Klaus Thymann is a Danish explorer, scientist, fellow at The Explorers Club, fellow at the Royal Geographical Society, multi award-winning photographer, filmmaker and creative director. He has developed an original viewpoint utilising a cross-disciplinary skillset that combines journalism, image making, mapping, documentary and exploration with a focus on contemporary issues and the climate emergency. Thymann has been featured by New Scientist, National Geographic, BBC, Wired and more. He is on the Expert Roster at UNESCO – UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. 

Working as a documentary filmmaker and journalist his work has reached audiences of tens-of-millions through features and commissions in media outlets including the BBC, The New York Times, CNN, The Guardian, and Vice, among others. Through creative directing, Thymann has delivered original content and installations across multiple platforms for institutions and NGOs, as well as brands like Nike, Sony, Björn Borg, Arc’teryx and Red Bull.

He is an experienced mountaineer, frequently summiting oxygen deprived peeks, as well as a technical diver capable of navigating in deep waters, below ice, and cave diving. Over the past two decades he has worked in conflict zones and led more than 50 expeditions to extreme environments across six continents and into four of the planet’s oceans.

Conducting field work supported by his environmental science degree, Thymann has made discoveries including finding corals in Danish waters, pre-historic bones deep inside a submerged Mexican cave system, and an unexplored manatee habitat in the Yucatan. He has uncovered equatorial glaciers by trekking a new route into Congo DRC and reported unnamed glaciers in Nepal.

Through leading teams and working collaboratively, Thymann has engaged in partnerships with institutions including NASA, the United Nations, World Glacier Monitoring Service and Danish Technical University – conceiving new methodologies and creating inventions along the way.

Thymann’s passion for the environment and arts led him to undertake pro bono work and serve on the board of organizations including The Design and Artists Copyright Society, UNICEF, Extinction Rebellion and Red Cross. His charitable work has been supported by the Queen of Denmark, Arts Council England, the Danish Arts Foundation and the Swiss Environmental Ministry.

In 2008 he combined his diverse talents to establish the charity Project Pressure – Visualizing the Climate Crisis. The charity uses art as a positive touch-point to inspire action and behavioral change. Through Project Pressure he collaborates with world-renowned artists to create and exhibit provocative work that inspires climate action.

Project Pressure’s influential project Voices for the Future at the United Nations 2019 Climate Action Summit installed large-scale projections covering the exterior of the landmark building with images of an iceberg melting paired with words and voices from six young advocates, including Greta Thunberg. The words were collected and arranged by Thymann through interviews and correspondence.

At age fourteen Thymann got his start by photographing tourists in Copenhagen for the Canal Tour and began working for publications as a writer and photographer during his teenage years. In 1996 he was the youngest ever winner of the Scandinavian Kodak Gold Award and in 2013 he won the Sony World Photography Award. He is a Hasselblad Ambassador and his artwork is in permanent collections incl. MoMA (SF) and has been exhibited at Design Museum Denmark, Horniman Museum London, Institute of Contemporary Art London, Natural History Museum Vienna, Museum of Climate Change Hong Kong, and Museum of Modern Art Stockholm.

Thymann has guest lectured at Oxford University, The Photographers’ Gallery, Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design, Hong Kong University, Rome University, Cancun University, University of the Arts London, Natural History Museum Vienna.

// Collaborations (selected)

Publications and Broadcast

BBC, Bloomberg Business Week, British Journal of Photography, CNN, Danish Broadcast, Dazed & Confused, Disegno, Financial Times, GQ, i-D, Lensculture, L’Officiel Hommes, National Geographic, New York Times, NPR, Nowness, Monocle, Outside, POP, Rolling Stones, Royal Photographic Society Journal, The Face, The Guardian, The Observer, Vice, V Magazine, V Magazine, Wired

SCIENCE AND ACADEMIA

Central St. Martins, Danish Technical University Aqua, Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, NASA, Oxford University, London School of Economics, University of the Arts London, University of Brighton, University of Cancun, University of Copenhagen, University of Florida, University of Roma, World Glacier Monitoring Service

GRANTS, NOMINATIONS & AWARDS

Arts Council England, Cannes Lion Advertising, Clio Award, Danish Arts Foundation, Kodak Gold Award, Queen of Denmark Grant, Royal Photographic Society, Sony World Photography Award, Velux Foundation

INSTITUTIONS, CHARITIES AND NGOS

Alzheimer’s Society, Amigos de Sian Ka’an, Design and Artists Copyright Society, Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future, Glacier Trust, Global Ocean Trust, Homeless World Cup, Lighthouse Foundation, London Cycling Campaign, Red Cross, Teenage Cancer Trust, UNICEF, United Nations, University of Florida, Wildlife Trust, Women for Women, World Health Organization

BRANDS

Adidas, Arc’teryx, Asics, Audi, Bjorn Borg, BMW, Carlsberg, Casio, Coca-Cola, Delma, Diesel, Dr Martens, Fjällraven, Hasselblad, Gatorade, Google, Johnnie Walker, Jordan, Lenovo, Levi’s, Nike, Parajumpers, Playstation, Rab, Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Sony, Speedo, Target, T-Mobile, Umbro, Westin Resorts

EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS

Design Museum Denmark, Horniman Museum London, Institute of Contemporary Art London, Natural History Museum Vienna, Museum of Climate Change Hong Kong, Museum of Modern Art Stockholm, MoMA San Francisco

// Curriculum Vitae

Born in Copenhagen in 1974.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

2015 BSc (Hons) in Environmental Studies, Open University, UK

2014 Wilderness Medical Training, Courses for Explorers

2013 4×4 off-road driving course

2012 Full Member (experienced mountaineer) Alpine Club

1993 Graduate Marie Kruse Gymnasium (college), Denmark

Advanced multistage Cave Diver, Normoxic Trimix,

Advanced Nitrox, Self Sufficient Diver and Side Mount with IANTD,

Dry suit with PADI, Rebreather with IANTD

 

CAREER PROFILE

2023-current Fellow at The Explorers Club

2022-current Fellow at The Royal Geographical Society, UK

2021-current Consultant with Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources

2020-2023 Advisory board of Danish School of Media and Journalism, Denmark

2020-current Hasselblad Ambassador

2011-2019 Board Member of Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS)

2008-current Founder and Director Project Pressure

 

DISTINCTIONS, AWARDS AND GRANTS

2023 Nomination for Earth Photo by RGS, Beluga whale research film

2022 Two-year Velux Foundation research grant for seafloor habitat mapping in Jammerbay, Denmark

2019 Shortlisted for Landskrona Fotofestival Prize

2019 Shortlisted for Welcome Photography Prize

2018 Honourable mention, Danish Press Photo of the Year

2017 Nominated for Prix Pictet 2017

2016 Selected as original artist for London Creative Network

2016 Winner Photo District News, The Great Outdoors Underwater category

2016 Shortlisted Royal Photographic Society RPS International Print Competition 159

2016 Shortlisted for Red Bull Illume

2015 Shortlisted for Arts Council England supported ‘neo:artprize 2015’

2014 Winner Photo District News, 2014 Photo Annual

2013 Winner Sony World Photography Award: Fashion & Beauty Photographer of the Year

2013 Shortlisted for ‘Inntravel Award’ at Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival

2013 Production support Hasselblad

2012 Winning Entry Editorial Category Creative Review Photo Annual

2012 Getty Images Creative Grants for Project Pressure

2011 Grant awarded by the Queen of Denmark for Project Pressure

2011 Arts Council England, grant for Project Pressure

2011 Danish Arts Council, production grant for Christiania

2011 Winner Timed to Perfection competition hosted by Wired

2010 Danish Arts Council, production grant

2010 Gold Award finalist, Campaign Photo Award for Project Pressure

2010 Winner D&AD, best use of photography (Contributing to EXIT Magazine AW09)

2008 Merit at Fujifilm Distinctions Awards 2008

2008 Winner of production grant for a short film sponsored by Sony Playstation

2008 In book for Orgreen campaign at the Association of Photographers Awards

2008 Winner Best Out-Door Danish Advertising Awards for Coca Cola

2006 Selected for ’New Photographers’ at International Advertising Festival in Cannes

2003 Winner of Best Photographer at the Danish Advertising Awards

2002 Winner of Clio Silver Award for Nikewomen.com

2002 Shortlisted at Cannes Lion Advertising Festival

2000 Winner of Best Music Video at the Danish Grammy Awards

1999 Nominated for Best Music Video at the Danish Grammy Awards

1998 Winner of Music Photo of the Year, a prize of Danish Musicians Society

1997 Winner Bronze Cannes Lion at International Advertising Festival in Cannes

1996 Youngest ever winner of the Scandinavian Kodak Gold Award

 

EXPLORATIONS AND EXPEDITIONS

2023 Underwater cave research, Mexico

2023 Environmental impacts on Sami Community in Arctic Sweden

2022 Investigation of pollution of Cenote Renzo, Mexico

2022 Environmental impacts on Sami Community in Arctic Sweden

2022 Summit of Cotopaxi 5,897 m and glacier research, Ecuador

2022 Beluga whale research in the Arctic, Svalbard Norway

2022 Aerial photogrammetry of Marmolada glacier, Italy

2022 Creating comparative images using own 2012 images of glacier Rwenzori, Uganda & Congo DRC

2021 Cave exploration as part of Vice Documentary, Mexico

2021 Revisiting glaciers for 10 year comparative imaging, Iceland

2021 Infiltration cave dive for environmental reporting, Mexico

2021 Exploring and research on resilient corals native to the Red Sea, Jordan

2021 Manatee habitat discovery, Mexico

2022 Survey diving and ocean floor mapping, incl. use of multibeam sonar, Jammerbay Denmark

2021 Survey diving and drop-camera deployment, Jammerbay Denmark

2021 Diving the continental divide Silfra, Iceland

2020 Discovery of abundance of corals in Danish waters

2020 Drone photogrammetry of Stanley Plateau glacier Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda

2020 Discovery, documentation and photogrammetry of oldest human bones in the Americas

2019 Diving and sargassum research, Florida, USA

2019 Cave Exploration, Mexico

2019 Field work deep in the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil

2018 Exploring the legacy of US nuclear testing, wreck diving at 65 m, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands

2018 Summit of Chimborazo 6,263 m, Ecuador

2018 Creating thermal imaging time-lapse of Rhone glacier, Switzerland

2017 Field work collaboration with glaciologists, Greenland

2017 Cave Exploration, Mexico

2017 Research on Helags glacier, Sweden

2016 Freediving and photography of humpback whales in Tonga

2016 Photographic research Popocatepetl glacier, Mexico

2016 Cave exploration and documentation of system Mul Tul, Mexico

2016 Aquifer and cave surveys, creating of FLOWS film about aquifer on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

2015 Fox, Tasman, Hochstetter and Mount Cook glaciers, New Zealand

2015 Photography and research on Nyiragongo volcano, Congo DRC

2015 Glaciers Narsarsuaq, Greenland

2015 Photography and research of Cenote Angelita, Mexico

2014 Summitting and research on Damavand, Sabalan mountain glaciers, Iran

2013 Aerial survey using historical photos of a number of glaciers on the south island, New Zealand

2013 First documentation of tunnel under the Pallin glacier, Kebnekeise Sweden

2013 World’s ever scuba dive and first documentation of the world’s clearest lake, New Zealand

2013 Research on Cocuy Pan de Azúcar, Uwa Blanco, Uwa Negro, Cisne, St Isabel glaciers, Colombia

2013 Photographic research on Charquini, Huayna Potosi, Illimani, Gipelfgrat Acotnogo, Bolivia

2012 Glacier expedition in Rwenzori Mountains, creating first trekking route into Congo DRC

2012 Documenting un-named glaciers in Nepal

2012 Photography and research in cenote The Pit, Mexico

2012 Helicopter glacier survey using 1939 comparative photos Helheim, Isertoq, Mittivakkat, Greenland

2011 Joining Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate field work, Norway

2011 Photographic research on glaciers in Iceland

2011 Glacier survey Alaska, USA

2010 Photographic research Jakobshavn, Greenland

2009 Field work on glaciers in Switzerland

2009 Trekking and documenting Maladeta glacier, Spain

2009 Photographic glacier research Cotopaxi and Cayambe, Ecuador

2008 Trekking and helicopter glacier survey Glacier National Park Montana, USA

2008 Photographic glacier research Chile

2008 Photographic glacier research Argentina

2008 Photographic glacier research Iceland

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS & ART INTERVENTIONS

2019 VOICES FOR THE FUTURE, projection onto the UN building in New York

2019 Shroud at Gallery Luisotti, Santa Monica

2015 Timezone at The Supermarket, New York

2010 ‘Klaus Thymann for i-D’ at BBlessing, New York

2008 HYBRIDS, Exposure, London

2007 HYBRIDS book launch and solo exhibition at DreamBag Jaguar shoes, London

2007 HYBRIDS book launch and solo exhibition at V1 Gallery, Copenhagen

2007 HYBRIDS book launch and solo exhibition at Wild Project, New York

2006 ‘I can’t see what you are saying’ at B&B Premium in conjunction with ArtMBassy, Berlin

2006 no.one Gallery, London

2005 Fast Forwad on Pause r-s-v-p Gallery, Munich

2004 ‘Because my phone is not a camera’ at Viaux Gallery, Hamburg

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 ‘Climate. Emergency. Hope’ at The Turnpike Gallery, Leigh England

2023 MELTDOWN at KuhlhausBerlin

2022 MELTDOWN at Whirinaki Whare Taonga & Nelson Provincial Museum, New Zealand

2021 MELTDOWN at galerija Jakopič, Ljubiana

2021 ‘Forever Changes’ Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow

2021 Mountains, Stimultana, Strasbourg

2020 Project Pressure at Landskrona Fotofestival

2020 ‘Living the City’, Tempelhof, Berlin

2020 ‘Kiruna Forever’, ArkDes, Stockholm

2020 Night Fever. Designing Club Culture 1960 – Today, Design Museum Denmark

2019 MELTDOWN at The Horniman Museum and Gardens, London

2019 WARNING SIGNS at Alt +1000 with Musée des beaux-arts, Le Locle

2019 MELTDOWN at Natural History Museum, Vienna

2018 ‘When Records Melt’ at Museum of Unseen, Amsterdam

2018 ‘Vanishing Glaciers’ at Museum of Climate Change, Hong Kong

2016 Uncertain States at The Mile End Art Pavilion, London

2015 NEO Artprize 2015 Finalist, Bolton

2015 Nordic House Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh

2014 125 Live at Londonnewcastle, London

2013 House of Arts, part of National Cultural Centre, Bratislava

2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London

2012 Featured artist in Contemporary Art Society Leap! Gala

2011 Menonsyne selected for The-Event at Grand Union, Birmingham

2011 Menonsyne public screening at Big Screen Project, New York

2011 CITIES: visionary places at Torrance Art Museum, Los Angeles

2011 After the crash at Orto Botanico UNESCO heritage site (with catalogue), Rome

2010 Copenhagen Photofestival, large prints installed in public spaces, Copenhagen

2010 ‘Haiti FOTORELIEF’ at Milk Gallery, New York

2009 Mnenosyne one channel installation Museum Centro Arti Visive Pescheria, Pesaro, Italy

2009 Seven Star Gallery, Berlin

2007 Group show at Paul Smith’s Space Gallery, Tokyo

2004 Onedotzero at Institute of Contemporary Art, London

 

LECTURES AND PANELS (SELECTED)

2021 ‘Response to Climate Crisis and the Role of Media’, Korea Press Foundation

2020 ‘Symposium on Visualising Climate Change’ University of the Arts London

2019 ‘The journey to MELTDOWN’ Natural History Museum, Vienna

2019 ‘How to make your passions pay’ University of Brighton

2018 ‘City to Nature ‘ Workshops for Fjällräven in Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Oslo

2018 ‘Using art to communicate Climate Change’ at Chinese University Hong Kong

2017 Talk sponsored by Sony at WEX Travel and Adventure Photography show

2016 ‘Explaining environmental issues through craft’ at Mother London, part of DA&D Festival London

2015 ‘Documenting Extreme Environments’, private VIP talk and Q&A at Casio, New York

2015 Talk at Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival

2014 Lecture at 125Live Story Telling in Image Making, London

2014 V-1 Gallery Artists Talk

2014 Lecture at COST Mapping, the convergence of art and science, Ancona

2013 Panellist at World Creators Summit, Washington

2013 Keynote speaker at ‘Healthy options for a warming planet”, Cannes Lion

2013 Panellist PhotoTALK, World Photo, London

2013 Speaker at ‘Rise Above’, McCann Health hosted event, Tokyo

2013 ‘Changing Behaviour’ Lecture at Oxford University

2013 Speaker at ‘Furore III’, talking about storytelling, Munich

2011 Lecture at Sapenzia, University of Rome

2011 Panellist at World Copyright Summit, Brussels

2011 Keynote speaker ‘Extreme Island Exploration’ hosted by i-D Magazine and Diesel

2011 Panellist ‘Artists’ Futures’ chaired by Paul Hobson, Director Contemporary Art Society

2010 Artist talk hosted by British Journal of Photography and The Photographers’ Gallery

2008 Visiting Lecture at Central St. Martins

2007 Visiting Lecture at Central St. Martins

1997 Keynote speaker ‘Danish Advertising Now’ hosted by Creative Circle

1994-1997 Annual workshop at Kolding School of Design

 

PRO BONO AND CHARITABLE WORK

2021 Leading expedition for habitat mapping of manatee lagoon funded by Lighthouse Foundation

2020 Expedition exploring unchartered danish waters finding corals w. Lighthouse Foundation

2019 Directing Flows – It’s all Connected (13 min) with the Lighthouse Foundation and multiple NGOs

2017 Directing Flows (52 m.) working with the Lighthouse Foundation and multiple NGOs 

2016 Donated edition print to the Alzheimers Society

2015 Writing, directing film for The Wildlife Trust, England

2013 Writing, directing and photographing a campaign for Ruas e Pracas, with Brazil street kids

2013 Photo lecture in aid of Women for Women, helping women survivors of war

2013 Directing short film for London Cycling Campaign

2011 Donating edition print for charity auction benefitting Japan Rising

2010 Donating edition print for charity auction benefiting ROSE Charities

2009 Creating images for use by London Cycling Campaign

2009 Donating edition print for charity auction benefiting Teenage Cancer Trust

2006 Directing a short documentary film for The Homeless World Cup

2005 Donating edition print for charity auction benefiting Tsunami Fotorelief

2004 Special assignment for Dazed & Confused publishing to benefit Cancer Research UK     

2002 In Kenya directing a TVC for The World Health Organization and UNICEF

1999 Print information campaign for Red Cross

 

// Hardback

Hardback

‘Surveying the Anthropocene’ by Patricia MacDonald (Edinburgh University Press, 2022)

‘Kiruna Forever’ by Daniel Golling and Carlos Mínguez Carrasco (Arkitektur Förlags, 2020)

‘Glaciers The Politics of Ice ‘by Jorge Daniel Taillant (Oxford University Press, 2015)

‘Victor’ (Hasselblad, 2014)

‘Sony World Photography Awards 2013’ (WPO, 2013)

‘Inventory of Norwegian Glaciers’, (NVE, 2012)

‘The European Project Immersion in Scientific Words Through Arts’ (ISWA, 2011)

‘50 top contemporary fashion photographers’ (DAAB, 2009)

‘Association of Photographers Awards’ book (AoP, 2008)

‘HYBRIDS by Klaus Thymann’  introductory drawings by David Shrigley (SQUASH’EM, 2007)

‘New Face of Portraiture’  (IdN, 2007)

‘History of Danish Photography’ (Kunstbogklubben, 2004)

‘Modeleksikon’ (Politiken 2002)