The art scene is facing significant financial challenges, with budget cuts and economic hardship forcing several institutions, including Körsbärsgården and the Dance Museum, to pause operations or seek cheaper premises. Even major state-funded museums are grappling with rising rents, leading to precarious financial situations. A government inquiry has proposed abolishing the problematic ”cost rent” system, and museums anxiously await a decision on a fairer model. Another proposal to merge Moderna Museet, ArkDes, and the Swedish Arts Council to save money has sparked concerns about power concentration within the art world. The inquiry’s findings are due at the end of January, followed by a consultation period.
Despite these economic pressures, the spring season offers a rich and diverse program of exhibitions. Nationalmuseum kicks off with the renowned colorist Pierre Bonnard, followed by Ernst Billgren’s baroque art and Hanna Hirsch-Pauli’s impressionistic paintings in the summer. Moderna Museet will finally host a retrospective of American artist Mike Kelley, whose 1994 exhibition was canceled due to high costs. This alongside the acclaimed traveling exhibition of Britta Marakatt-Labba promises to draw large crowds. Göteborgs Konstmuseum delves into apocalyptic themes in art history, reflecting the current climate of uncertainty, but thankfully offers glimmers of hope within its exploration of doom. On the continent, a highlight is the collaboration between Pontus Hultén and artists Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, showcased at the renovated Grand Palais in Paris starting in June.
Fotografiska celebrates the centenary of master photographer Hans Hammarskiöld with a major retrospective spanning his six-decade career. The exhibition showcases his diverse work, from abstract still lifes and fashion photography to iconic portraits of artists, writers, and royalty, highlighting his significant contribution to both Swedish and international photography. Bonniers Konsthall presents the work of Valeria Montti Colque, fresh from her Venice Biennale exhibition in the Chilean pavilion. Her large-scale installation, ”Mother Mountain,” connects the Andes and Swedish mountains, exploring themes of nationhood, exile, migration, and diaspora through a blend of visual, symbolic, and material elements from her native Chile and adopted Sweden.
Kalmar Konstmuseum continues its innovative approach to public engagement, transforming into a dance palace with ”Dance Now Think Later.” The exhibition features film works by three international artists, exploring dance as a form of liberation that transcends social norms and encourages movement and self-expression. The exhibition examines dance as both an art form and a political statement, highlighting the power of the dancing body as a site of resistance and change.
Nationalmuseum’s spring season begins with a focus on the masterful colorist Pierre Bonnard. Featuring approximately 70 works, the exhibition, the first in Sweden in over 70 years, showcases Bonnard’s luminous, evocative paintings of everyday life, including family, home, seascapes, gardens, and street scenes. The exhibition also features works by Nordic artists inspired by Bonnard’s palette and subject matter, highlighting his influence on the region’s art.
Göteborgs Konstmuseum presents ”Apocalypse: From the Last Judgment to Climate Threat,” tracing 500 years of apocalyptic themes in art. The exhibition assembles a hundred catastrophic motifs, from collapsing cities and volcanic eruptions to melting glaciers, showcasing works from the Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, Symbolism, and contemporary art that reflect anxieties about war, climate change, and artificial intelligence. Despite the somber subject matter, the exhibition promises a degree of optimism. Meanwhile, Accelerator in Stockholm hosts ”Flare-up” by Goldin + Senneby, exploring themes of autoimmunity, accessibility, and climate through an experimental lens. The exhibition features new works, some created in collaboration with American author Katie Kitamura and the Anthropocene Laboratory at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, drawing inspiration from the artist duo’s experience with multiple sclerosis and the potential of pine resin as a green energy source.
Västerås Konstmuseum presents the first major retrospective of Ulla Wiggen’s work in Sweden. Spanning over six decades, the exhibition showcases Wiggen’s distinctive photorealistic paintings of both people and electronic devices, alongside her more recent studies of brains and irises. Wiggen’s unique exploration of internal and external worlds has garnered international acclaim, including at the Venice Biennale, and the exhibition has previously been shown at the Fridericianum in Kassel and EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. Sven-Harrys Konstmuseum offers a look at the provocative art of Dick Bengtsson, focusing on works from the 1960s and 70s. Known for his challenging imagery, Bengtsson employed symbols like the swastika to question politics and the power of symbols. As an early postmodernist, he appropriated images from popular culture and other artists, creating a unique and compelling body of work.
KIN Museum for Contemporary Art in Kiruna explores the Fogelstad Citizen School for Women, a pioneering educational experiment that ran from 1925 to 1954. The exhibition features work by contemporary artists Olivia Plender, Åsa Elzén, Åsa Sonjasdotter, and Petra Bauer, inspired by the school’s innovative approach to women’s education, as well as archival material from the school itself. The exhibition will later travel to Liljevalchs in Stockholm, extending its reach to a wider audience. Finally, Moderna Museet presents a retrospective of Mike Kelley, encompassing his career from early performance art in the 1970s to multimedia installations of the 2000s. Kelley challenged societal norms and structures, often revisiting themes of childhood and examining the influence of media on behavior. The exhibition, having premiered at Tate Modern in London, promises a comprehensive overview of this influential artist’s career.
