1. The Transformation of Stockholm at the Turn of the 20th Century:
The Stadsmuseet in Stockholm presents a captivating exhibition, "New Stockholm: The Turn of the 20th Century," offering a glimpse into a city grappling with rapid growth and stark social disparities. Drawing from the museum’s extensive collection of art, photographs, artifacts, and posters, the exhibition narrates the story of a glamorous metropolis experiencing a flourishing entertainment scene and the development of grand new boulevards. Simultaneously, it exposes the harsh realities of poverty, a severe housing shortage, and rampant infestations, revealing the darker underbelly of this burgeoning city. The works of Erik Tryggelin (1878-1962), a prominent Stockholm chronicler, take center stage, with his photographs, paintings, and drawings providing a poignant visual record of this era of transformation.
2. Confronting the Witch Hunt Hysteria of the 17th Century:
The Historiska museet in Stockholm hosts a compelling exhibition titled "Witches," exploring the dark chapter of witch hunts that gripped Sweden in the 17th century. Originally displayed at Kalmar Castle, the exhibition features powerful AI-generated images by artist Pompe Hedengren, accompanied by informative texts penned by historian Cecilia Düringer. With a recommended age limit of 10 years old, the exhibition delves into the tragic fate of approximately 300 women accused of witchcraft and subsequently executed in Sweden. By imbuing these historical figures with realistic faces and bodies, the exhibition fosters empathy and evokes a chilling sense of the injustice they faced, drawing parallels to the dangers of social media witch hunts in contemporary society.
3. Celebrating the Public Sculptures of Gunilla Bandolin:
The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts presents a comprehensive retrospective of Gunilla Bandolin’s public sculptures. Five concurrent exhibitions fill the Academy’s halls, with Bandolin’s work being the most prominent. The exhibition showcases a collection of models, descriptive texts, and photographs documenting her realized works across Sweden and Europe, spanning from the 1990s to the present. Bandolin’s artistic approach often involves geometric forms and reinterpretations of the ancient amphitheater. The accompanying photographs demonstrate the public’s embrace of her sculptures, highlighting her success in enriching urban spaces and fulfilling her artistic ambition.
4. Exploring National Romanticism and the Allure of Twilight:
The Thielska Galleriet presents "It is Most Beautiful When it Dusks," an exhibition focusing on the National Romantic movement in Swedish art, a golden age around the turn of the 20th century. Inspired by a line from Pär Lagerkvist’s poem, the exhibition highlights the popularity of landscapes depicted in twilight and dawn light, a significant theme within Signe and Ernest Thiel’s impressive art collection. The exhibition brings together atmospheric paintings and sketches centered around the theme of transitional moments in nature and human life. Reflecting the Symbolist fascination with such transitions, the exhibition showcases both iconic works from the period and less-known pieces.
5. Contemporary Art at Bonniers Konsthall: Anastasia Savinova and Erik Thörnqvist:
Bonniers Konsthall features the works of Anastasia Savinova and Erik Thörnqvist, recipients of the 2024 Maria Bonnier Dahlin Foundation grant. The exhibition provides separate spaces for each artist, acknowledging the distinct nature of their visual worlds. Despite their differences, both artists engage with mixed media and found objects in their artistic practice. Savinova explores the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, highlighting the fragility of ecosystems within the context of the climate crisis. Thörnqvist, in turn, transforms and intertwines objects, renegotiating their original symbolism and creating thought-provoking juxtapositions.
6. The Exquisite Design Legacy of the Wiener Werkstätte:
Millesgården on Lidingö Island hosts a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the Wiener Werkstätte, a radical design cooperative that flourished from 1903 to 1932. The exhibition showcases over 200 objects, highlighting the exceptional quality and clean lines that characterize the Werkstätte’s output. Founded by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser, the cooperative aimed to elevate the status of craftsmanship, striving to imbue all design with artistic merit. The exhibition boasts a diverse array of objects, ranging from furniture, silver, glass, and ceramics to graphic art, books, toys, textiles, clothing, and jewelry, providing a comprehensive overview of this influential design movement’s enduring legacy.
