Helga Theilgaard trained with Royal Court Photographer Rigmor Rydtskov, best known for her life-long collaboration with Queen Margrethe II, from 1999 to 2003. Rigmor Mydtskov was a very sensitive person with an outstanding flair for the art of portraiture, and Helga Theilgaard has skillfully managed to carry on this tradition. Over the years, she has created a number of beautiful portraits of Danish public personalities such as author Morten Sabroe and Rigmor Mydtskov.

Portraiture is the core of Helga Theilgaard’s work and the social aspect of this has become more prominent over time. She gradually got on close terms with the islanders of Christiansø off the coast of Bornholm and portrayed them in rich colors on a uniform white background. The exhibition “Island in the Sea” (2007) was later on displayed at museums across the country. Many of these portraits appear quite classical and especially the photographs of the children are unforgettable.

The exhibition and the book ‘The Rootless’ (2010), which portray homeless people in Denmark, further pronounced the social aspect in Helga Theilgaard’s work. The project deals with people, who willingly or unwillingly in one way or another are left on the outskirts of society. With the project, Helga Theilgaard tried to reduce the distance between ‘them’ and ‘us’ by focusing on the well-being and the living conditions of the homeless. Contrary to most others who have worked with homeless people, Helga Theilgaard decided to invite them into her studio and stage her portraits. Once again against a white background, but this time in black and white only. In every way, the project gave a voice to the vague shadows in the dark, who almost invisibly graze us as we pass them in the streets, as well as to the boundary-testing and loud individuals, who intrude and take up too much room in public space. ‘The Rootless’ partly materialized into a book and partly into large photostats exhibited in public places. In this way, she once again displayed her staged portraits in the streets. Helga Theilgaard created a rare and almost physical piece of work.