NO LIMIT – Stockholm Clubland 1992–1995

Music, Fashion, Decadence: Memories from the wild 90s club scene Stefan Holm Mardo’s photo book, ”NO LIMIT – Stockholm Clubland 1992–1995”, features more than 200 unique photos of a club generation that put Stockholm and Sweden on the map. Stockholm’s most exhibitionistic club era happened before the internet and social media, and today it is almost forgotten. This exhibition offers a curated glimpse into this treasure trove of images. “The opinion was that only tourists took photos and that you should live in the moment. Since I took pictures on behalf of the club promotors, I can now present a unique documentation of this era,” says Stefan Holm Mardo. Some were born and raised in Stockholm; others had just arrived in the capital to fulfill their dreams. When a major financial crisis struck Sweden in the early 90s, this group banded together, determined to create a new and better Stockholm. A whole new club culture was born in symbiosis with the new dance music. Club fashion became increasingly extroverted, and the ultimate goal was to be seen. The global reputation Stockholm and Sweden enjoy today within music, design, IT, and innovation was founded during this era. International magazines like The Face and i-D, along with the newly launched MTV Europe, turned their gaze toward Stockholm’s extravagant club scene. In just a few years, the international image of Stockholm shifted from polar bears and hot blondes to that of a creative mecca. Leila K, Johan Renck, Lars Wallin, LaCamilla, Jonas Hallberg, Josefin Crafoord, Peter Siepen, Apollo, Per Hagman, Ingela Klemetz, and Vito Ingrosso were all part of a creative generation that became today’s leading media figures, fashion creators, directors, designers, and music producers. They were all affiliated with Stockholm’s most influential clubs, such as Vegas, 2001, Dennis Hopper Room, Monday Bar, and the massive Deep parties. “Everyday we woke up to something new; a new synth or sampler, or a new genre was created... it was never-ending. The only way to hear the latest tunes was to go clubbing,” recalls Michael Elmenbeck, then a DJ, now Creative Director at CFHILL Art Space. Stefan has tracked down 108 of these early 90s club kids, interviewed them individually, and photographed them once again. This project summarizes the collective story of a forgotten era, told by the people who were there.