Mette Sandbye

Mette Sandbye is a Professor of Photography Studies at the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen. She also serves as the Director of the research group "Thinking Photography Today". With a career spanning over 25 years, she has established herself as a leading scholar in photography studies, focusing on historical, theoretical, and cultural dimensions of the medium.

Her academic background includes:

• MA in Comparative Literature and Modern Culture and Cultural Communication, University of Copenhagen (1990)
• Ph.D. from the University of Copenhagen (1999), with a dissertation titled "Memorials. Time, memory, and narrative in contemporary photobased art"

Professor Sandbye's research centers on photography as representation, effect, and affect, in both artistic and broader cultural contexts. Her primary areas include the history and theory of photography, contemporary art, 20th century avant-garde movements, and vernacular photography as everyday practice. She has published extensively on topics ranging from family photo albums to early women photographers and the impact of digital technology on photographic culture.

Her recent scholarly output (2025) demonstrates a continued commitment to exploring photography's multifaceted roles, with publications addressing family photography, documentary practices, and the evolution from snapshots to selfies. These works collectively examine themes of visibility, cultural identity, memory, and the materiality of photographic objects in both historical and digital contexts.

Among her accolades, Professor Sandbye was awarded the N.L. Høyen Medaljen in 2010. This prestigious honor recognizes her significant contributions to the field of art history and photography studies in Denmark.

As an educator, she supervises students in photography history, contemporary art, and 20th century avant-garde art. Her professional service includes external examiner roles at multiple universities, committee memberships (such as the Hasselblad Foundation and Danish Arts Council), and editorial work for academic publications.

She leads the "Thinking Photography Today" research group, which provides a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on photography's past, present, and future, including current projects on war photography and Nordic cultural heritage.