Stockholm, the Sleeping Great thing about European capitals, awakens from its slumber this week. The twentieth version of the Market Artwork Honest for Fashionable and up to date artwork opens in a brand new waterfront venue within the Frihamnen docks space of the Swedish capital (till 26 April).
This yr 54 sellers, principally from the Nordics, are collaborating alongside a handful of worldwide galleries from the USA 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 purposes to galleries with out current Nordic ties, says a good assertion. Requested in regards to the truthful’s aspirations—does it need 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 festivals are usually not second-tier—they are often high-quality, targeted, and business-like. We’ll by no means be as massive as Frieze however I believe, as this yr’s version proves, worldwide galleries can present artists right here whom they might in any other case current at these bigger festivals. They need to really feel in a position to do this in Stockholm.
“So market-wise and quality-wise with galleries, we need to be at that stage as a result of we’ve got the collectors, the curiosity, and the establishments. I believe what additionally attracts galleries right here is our social scene and sense of neighborhood… Market Artwork Honest now looks like a world truthful, however Stockholm-sized. Or, as one of many artists put it: it looks like a giant truthful however cosy. We take this as an enormous praise. I believe 54 galleries is a extremely 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—notably its accessibility. However the established Swedish gallerist Magnus Karlsson vouches for Market as a business and tutorial anchor. “One [of our aims] is to assist the Swedish artwork scene; I believe 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 all the time “a brand new crowd that comes [to the fair], creating a place to begin for someone who individuals who have a contemporary curiosity in artwork”.
Karlsson’s gallery is exhibiting 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. Many of the works have bought 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. “You will need to introduce our artists to collectors from the area.” The gallery can also be exhibiting a sequence of canvases by Astrid Nondal, priced at SEK80,000 every (costs are said 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 introduced by i8 gallery of Iceland. This group (The reverse aspect of actuality, with a darkish ring) consists of work and sculptures that “proceed the artist’s longtime investigation of sunshine, color, notion, and optical phenomena,” says a gallery assertion.
Works accessible embody a sculpture entitled The uncommon metallic plant (2026) which is constructed from stackable, space-filling modules and impressed by the pure methods 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 house simply prior to now, 2026) is priced at €125,000. Börkur Arnarson, the gallery proprietor, mentioned that by the tip 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 bought, 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 value journey,” mentioned the gallery’s Sara Röder.
So may Stockholm, fuelled by cornerstone occasions corresponding to Market, actually develop into a regional artwork powerhouse? A lot has been made about Sweden’s “silicon valley” standing; the nation is house to firms 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 undoubtedly suppose there may be new wealth being created right here in Sweden. If they may allocate a bit of [of their wealth] for artwork, then it’s actually going to develop into fascinating and be actually good for the galleries,” provides director Berner Bengtsson. There additionally seems to be a swell of rising galleries—20% of collaborating galleries have been established inside simply the final 5 years, provides the truthful assertion. The worldwide artwork market has in the meantime slowed down prior to now three years. “However I believe Sweden has been surprisingly regular [market wise],” provides supplier 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 condo has been reworked right into a showcase for artwork by three Swedish sisters—Emma, Johanna and Sofia Bjurström— who “convey their practices collectively below one roof”. The siblings draw on a captivating household archive; Sofia builds monuments from wood blocks emblazoned with photographs 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 matter of households, and the way fraught and troublesome they are often at instances, is tackled on this in depth 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 (Coated in Me, 2023), throw mild on the nurturing unit that shapes us all.
Ingela Ihrman, Nocturnal Video games, Bonniers Konsthall (till 14 June)
An enormous otter giving beginning and a flying privet hawk moth are among the many sculptural characters within the fantastic 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
