Annie Leibovitz becomes IKEA's artist in residence: 'Photographing people in their homes is a way to understand who a person is'

Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz has announced she will be IKEA's first-ever artist in residence – stepping into the role this 2023. 

While in residence, Annie will travel to seven countries: England, Japan, the United States, Germany, Italy, India, and Sweden to photograph people in their homes. She will then use these images to create a series of 25 portraits that explore the nuances of 'life at home' – creating a photographic document inspired by IKEA's annual Life at Home Report. 

The Connecticut-born photographer is best known for capturing legendary photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Demi Moore, to name a few – but now she is turning her focus to the interior design industry – and exploring how decorating ideas evolve across the world. 

The Life at Home Report surveyed over 37,000 people globally in 37 countries, and a stand-out finding was that almost half of the participants in the UK (47%) feel like their homes are reflected in the media. In enlisting Annie Leibovitz, IKEA is pledging to evolve and adapt to the ever-shifting reality of the way people live today – by showcasing ordinary homes in high art. 

'The home has always been important in my work,' Annie says. 'I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began. It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start. I’m excited to partner with IKEA in 2023.'

And, as Marcus Engman, the chief creative officer at Ingka Group (of whom IKEA is a subsidiary), explains, Annie's work will feed into the work they do to create a more seamless living for homeowners in the future. 

'The Life at Home Report results are a crucial moment every year at IKEA. They help us to realize our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people,' Marcus says. 

'That’s why we are delighted to team up with Annie Leibovitz, a true artist and trailblazer, to turn her iconic lens to those lives at home we don’t always see and voices we don’t always hear. We look forward to working with her throughout 2023 and engaging the next generation of artists along the way.'

You can discover more about the Life at Home report and its impact on how you shop and live via IKEA. No word yet on when you can buy the photography, but we're looking to early 2024. We'll keep you posted.