Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [21]
Despite an initial caution towards Cubism, some artists embraced the concepts of surrealist and abstract art, albeit with their own Swedish style, such as the bizarre ‘dreamland’ paintings of Stellan Mörner (1896–1979). Otto Carlsund (1897–1948) was the driving force behind early abstract art in Sweden.
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Both Sweden’s national and regional theatres are obliged to produce theatre for children. Top writers in the field include Lucas Svensson, Sofia Fredén and Matthias Andersson.
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More radical art movements in the 1960s and ’70s were influenced by diverse sources, including far-left politics, pop culture and minimalism, while the 1980s and ’90s saw the rise of feminist-oriented art from the likes of Lotta Antonsson (1963–) and Ingrid Orfali (1952–).
Post-9/11, an increasingly international Swedish art scene has focused on globalisation, as well as the relationship between the individual and sociopolitical power structures, as seen in the films of Loulou Cherinet (1970–) and the protest art of Fia-Stina Sandlund (1973–).
Also often political is Sweden’s kicking street-art scene, which includes tagging, stencilling, poster art and site-specific installations. Prominent artists include Stockholm’s left-wing Hop Louie, famous for using images of Christer Petterson (suspected assassin of former Prime Minister Olof Palme), and Prao, best known for assembling white cabinets in random urban locations filled with goods for the homeless. On the west coast, the spray-can creations of artist Blue are a prominent fixture on Göteborg’s urban landscape, her themes ranging from ethereal creatures to explicit sexuality.
Carl Milles (1875–1955) is Sweden’s greatest sculptor and was once employed as Rodin’s assistant. Millesgården, his home in Lidingö, on Stockholm’s outskirts, is one of the city’s most whimsical museums Click here.
Theatre & Dance
When King Gustav III founded the Royal Dramatic Theatre (dubbed Dramaten) in Stockholm in 1773, interest in theatre and opera blossomed. Greta Garbo attended the Royal Dramatic Theatre drama school in 1922, and Ingmar Bergman made his directorial debut here in 1951.
In 1773, the arts-loving ruler also founded the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm, the world’s fourth-oldest ballet company. The capital’s contemporary dance offerings include Moderna Dansteatern (renowned for promoting emerging choreographers and dancers) and Dansens Hus. Stockholm is also home to the Cullberg Ballet, Sweden’s most internationally renowned contemporary dance company.
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Food & Drink
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CONTEMPORARY TENDENCIES
CLASSIC STAPLES & SPECIALITIES
FESTIVE FLAVOURS
SWEDISH SIPPING
THE EATING LOW-DOWN
EAT YOUR WORDS
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In less than two decades, Sweden has transformed itself from a dining dowager to a confident gourmet. Epicureans around the world are smitten with the country’s new-gen chefs and their often bold, inventive creations. Current luminaries include Bocuse d’Or–recipient Mathias Dahlgren, TV chef Niklas Ekstedt and New York–based Marcus Samuelsson. And while Stockholm takes the cake with its arsenal of Michelin-starred restaurants, culinary enlightenment beckons across the country. Some smaller towns aside, the days of meatballs, mash and not much else are well and truly over.
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CONTEMPORARY TENDENCIES
Essentially, contemporary Swedish cuisine melds global influences with local produce and innovation: think baked wood-pigeon with potato-and-apple hash or cauliflower ‘cornet’ with white chocolate and caviar. Once obsessed with foreign products, locals have discovered the virtues of their own pantry. The result is an intense passion for home-grown ingredients, whether it’s apples from Kivik or bleak roe from Kalix. Equally important is the seasonality of food; expect succulent