Stockholm (NordSIP) – On a balmy May evening in Stockholm, the Nordic team of French bank BNP Paribas manages to conjure a veritable treat for any lover of the visual arts. The tediousness of a prolonged pandemic, followed by the horror of a savage war happening close by, has no doubt had an erosive effect on many souls. A night at Liljevalchs provides a welcome reminder of the healing power of art. It would appear that the age-long symbiosis between bankers and artists lives on, and society is so much richer for it.
To kick off the evening, we witness the unveiling of a new iconic addition to the square just outside of Liljevalchs+. The artist herself, Charlotte Gyllenhammar, shares somewhat nervously her thoughts on the statue that she created, Ute, Flicka. Yet words are hardly necessary to appreciate the haunting sculpture of a young girl standing on the verge of an abyss, all alone and protected only by her winter coveralls.
One of Sweden’s oldest uninterrupted exhibition traditions, the beloved Liljevalchs Spring Salon has been luring art lovers to the beautiful island of Djurgården for more than 100 years now. Slightly delayed by the pandemics, the anniversary is finally happening. And, courtesy of BNP Paribas, we get to preview this exclusive selection of the Salon’s rich history. The exhibition brings together some two hundred artists who have made their debut or have recently participated in the Salon.
We wander through hall after hall of rich artistic expression, featuring both the masters of the past, Sigrid Hjertén, Einar Jolin and Sven X-et Erixson, and some of today’s most popular artists such as Lars Lerin and Lena Cronqvist. Slightly inebriated by the explosion of colours, shapes, concepts, and ideas, as well as the complimentary champagne (it is a French bank, after all, that is sponsoring the event), we wander off into the light Nordic night, deeply grateful to the artists and their patrons for bringing on the magic.
