Ida Haag — The Creator of Ismanien
IDA HAAG
The Birth of Ismanien
Ida Haag (b. 1979) is a Swedish artist and writer. She grew up with a profound sense of not belonging to the world around her.
To navigate her surroundings, Ida turned inward. She discovered that art and imagination were her true native languages.
During her early childhood, a secure parallel universe quietly formed in her mind—a secret sanctuary beneath the ice.
She named it Ismanien.
The Evolution of a World: From Colours to a Living Story
In the beginning, Ida’s inner world was entirely abstract: she experienced emotions directly as colours.
Over time, these raw emotional colours began to take shape and evolve into characters. As the characters came to life, they brought a narrative with them. This became the very heart of Ismanien.
The foundation of this world, created during Ida’s childhood, consists of four distinct characters—five when including the central protagonist, Vera.
Each has a completely different personality. Whatever emotional state Ida found herself in, there was always a companion ready to offer help, guidance and comfort.
She spoke to them directly, and they gave her the unconditional support and advice she needed.
These five original figures represent the sanctuary Ida created during childhood. Later, as she expanded the manuscript, she added Vera’s mother Ada, her father Sten and an Authority Figure.
Ida deliberately created Vera to be fiercely strong and brave—a character capable of anything, and someone she could look up to whenever the Real World felt too heavy.
Discover the story →Art as Rescue and Awakening
Driven by an innate need to create, Ida began her formal artistic journey at Ålsta Folk High School, where she studied Art and Design.
Seeking a fresh start and a true sense of identity, she later moved to England.
In London, she found the creative freedom she had been searching for and enrolled at the University of East London, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art.
A Life Shaped by Art
Following her years in England, Ida’s search for identity led her to Bali, Indonesia.
Within this profoundly different culture, surrounded by a distinctive warmth and way of life, she experienced a fundamental shift. For the first time, Ida began to open up to herself.
Far from the constraints of her past, Bali became a place where she could feel calm and focused.
Her creativity expanded further into jewellery and photography. She designed her own jewellery collections, created bespoke wedding rings and produced a photographic documentary for the Alexander Langer Award in Italy.
Ida later continued to France, where she developed both her jewellery and her art.
Today, Ida is back in Enköping, Sweden. Her work stands as a powerful testament to how deeply felt inner worlds can be transformed into strength, resilience and artistic triumph.