Stockholm, the Sleeping Great thing about European capitals, awakens from its slumber this week. The twentieth version of the Market Artwork Truthful for Fashionable and modern artwork opens in a brand new waterfront venue within the Frihamnen docks space of the Swedish capital (till 26 April).
This yr 54 sellers, largely from the Nordics, are taking part alongside a handful of worldwide galleries from america and the UK corresponding to London-based Anthony Wilkinson gallery and albertz benda of New York.
Crucially, the truthful expanded its attain final yr by opening functions to galleries with out present Nordic ties, says a good assertion. Requested in regards to the truthful’s aspirations—does it wish to be the primary Nordic regional truthful?—Sara Berner Bengtsson, the truthful director and chief govt, says: “It’s the periphery that now feels important. Regional gala’s will not be second-tier—they are often high-quality, targeted, and business-like. We’ll by no means be as large as Frieze however I feel, as this yr’s version proves, worldwide galleries can present artists right here whom they’d in any other case current at these bigger gala’s. They need to really feel in a position to try this in Stockholm.
“So market-wise and quality-wise with galleries, we wish to be at that degree as a result of we now have the collectors, the curiosity, and the establishments. I feel what additionally attracts galleries right here is our social scene and sense of group… Market Artwork Truthful now looks like a global truthful, however Stockholm-sized. Or, as one of many artists put it: it looks like an enormous truthful however cosy. We take this as an enormous praise. I feel 54 galleries is a very good measurement, however the golden quantity could be round 70.”
Some sellers raised qualms in regards to the new truthful location—the commerce centre Magasin 9—significantly its accessibility. However the established Swedish gallerist Magnus Karlsson vouches for Market as a business and educational anchor. “One [of our aims] is to assist the Swedish artwork scene; I feel it is an necessary assembly level for colleagues, artists, lecturers and museums so it creates a hub, which is crucial,” he says, including that there is at all times “a brand new crowd that comes [to the fair], creating a place to begin for anyone who individuals who have a contemporary curiosity in artwork”.
Karlsson’s gallery is displaying works by the Finnish artist Petra Lindholm who has created a sequence of “textile work” priced between SEK 28,000 (+VAT) and SEK 170,000. A lot of the works have offered with two works changed on the stand right now (24 April).
Sellers agree that the truthful is a necessary platform for bringing their artists to the eye of Scandinavian audiences. Galleri Haaken of Oslo is inflicting a stir on the truthful with its presentation of dystopian large-scale Brueghel-esque works by Munan Øvrelid together with Echoes of the Goat (2026, SEK 400,000). “The truthful is getting higher,” mentioned gallery director Fredrik Nergaard. “It is very important introduce our artists to collectors from the area.” The gallery can be displaying a sequence of canvases by Astrid Nondal, priced at SEK80,000 every (costs are acknowledged on labels—”it’s good to be clear”, provides Nergaard).
One other speaking level is a sequence of recent works by the high-profile Icelandic-Danish artist Ólafur Elíasson offered by i8 gallery of Iceland. This group (The reverse aspect of actuality, with a darkish ring) contains work and sculptures that “proceed the artist’s longtime investigation of sunshine, color, notion, and optical phenomena,” says a gallery assertion.
Works out there embrace a sculpture entitled The uncommon metallic plant (2026) which is constructed from stackable, space-filling modules and impressed by the pure programs behind the expansion of crystals (€195,000). A sequence of eight work made utilizing a single pad of watercolour paper and alcohol inks (The transformative area simply prior to now, 2026) is priced at €125,000. Börkur Arnarson, the gallery proprietor, mentioned that by the top of the VIP preview (23 April), he had “positioned 5 works” by Eliasson.
Galleri Helle Knudsen of Stockholm mentioned in the meantime that all the cartoon-esque sculptures by Moa Holm Niklasson had offered, together with Synvinkel (2025-26, €1,500), together with a number of works by the painter Karin Wikström. “We don’t set costs too excessive for our rising artists; we wish them to have a worth journey,” mentioned the gallery’s Sara Röder.
So may Stockholm, fuelled by cornerstone occasions corresponding to Market, actually grow to be a regional artwork powerhouse? A lot has been made about Sweden’s “silicon valley” standing; the nation is dwelling to corporations corresponding to Klarna, iZettle and Spotify whereas Joel Hellermark, the founding father of the AI platform Sana Labs, is a eager artwork buff, having contributed to the Stockholm Design Lab monograph.
“I positively assume there’s new wealth being created right here in Sweden. If they might allocate slightly [of their wealth] for artwork, then it’s actually going to grow to be fascinating and be actually good for the galleries,” provides director Berner Bengtsson. There additionally seems to be a swell of rising galleries—20% of taking part galleries have been established inside simply the final 5 years, provides the truthful assertion. The worldwide artwork market has in the meantime slowed down up to now three years. “However I feel Sweden has been surprisingly regular [market wise],” provides vendor Magnus Karlsson.
Three To See throughout Stockholm Artwork Week
Three Sisters: Three Practices, Eva Livijn Artwork House (till 26 June)
The gallerist and collector Eva Livijn’s residence has been reworked right into a showcase for artwork by three Swedish sisters—Emma, Johanna and Sofia Bjurström— who “deliver their practices collectively beneath one roof”. The siblings draw on an interesting household archive; Sofia builds monuments from picket blocks emblazoned with pictures of her grandmother whereas Emma’s semi-abstract work are impressed by a sequence of archival letters.
Household-For Higher or Worse, Sven-Harrys Konstmuseum (till 13 September)
The taboo subject of households, and the way fraught and troublesome they are often at occasions, is tackled on this intensive exhibition that includes works by artists corresponding to Lena Cronqvist, Marianne Lindberg De Geer and Maria Miesenberger. Stand-out items, together with a weird sculptural depiction of the insanity of motherhood by the Swedish sculptor Cajsa von Zeipek (Lined in Me, 2023), throw gentle on the nurturing unit that shapes us all.
Ingela Ihrman, Nocturnal Video games, Bonniers Konsthall (till 14 June)
A large otter giving start and a flying privet hawk moth are among the many sculptural characters within the great world created by Swedish artist Ingela Ihrman. “Below a moon that resembles a cheese, in a time that balances on the sting between technological hubris and apocalyptic despair, Ihrman formulates a longing to enterprise into the darkish corners and emotions that lie there,” writes the exhibition curator Caroline Malmström.
Ingela Ihrman, Nattens lekar (2026)
credit score: Bonniers Konsthall/Weronika Bela
