The photography for Björk’s Medúlla album, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in 2004, captures the raw intimacy and avant-garde spirit of the record. Central to the imagery is a striking mask created specifically for the shoot by Björk’s friend, the artist Shoplifter, known for her work with hair. The mask, made from strands of hair, evokes a sense of organic craftsmanship and the tactile connection to women’s handicrafts. It embodies the idea of a reclusive figure who hand-makes her world, weaving her environment from deeply personal materials, mirroring the album’s focus on the elemental power of the human voice.
The image, shot in a London studio, reflects the themes of isolation and familial closeness central to Medúlla, portraying Björk as a cocooned yet powerful presence. The monochromatic tones and intricate textures of the mask contrast with the stark simplicity of the portrait, highlighting the tension between creation and introspection. The mask itself later featured in the MoMA retrospective of Björk’s career, symbolizing the deep interconnection between her music, her collaborators, and her ability to transform the personal into the universal.
