The hotels and restaurants to visit during Stockholm Art Week

It’s that time of the year… spring is almost here, and Stockholm’s distinct but diverse cultural institutions, commercial galleries, and independent art spaces are revving up to embrace Stockholm Art Week, along with Market Art Fair, the niche contemporary art fair hosted at Liljevalchs, opening the same week. During this time the capital is held captive to a plethora of events, openings, and parties and expectations are high. The initiative is the brainchild of PR guru and art enthusiast Joanna Sundström. “Art and culture are always important, but now more so than ever,” Sundström shares, "to be able to create a platform that brings all the information about various happenings together, and hopefully galvanise people to participate and attend is one of Stockholm Art Week’s main goals.”

It assembles artists and gallerists alike, along with a fairly new contender in the arena, at least in Scandinavia, the restaurants and hotels hosting exhibitions, art-themed events, and collaborations with artists. In this new post-pandemic landscape, the need for an expanded approach to engaging with art and culture has led to several new ventures initiating and hosting opportunities to enjoy contemporary art beyond the walls of the conventional gallery setting.

Internationally acclaimed superstar Jens Fänge is one of Sweden’s greatest artistic exports, represented and exhibited in galleries and museums from Hong Kong to Paris and New York City. The artists’ unique signature aesthetic, composing painting upon painting, creating collages of cityscapes, landscapes, interiors, and portraits contributes to a huge fanbase of art enthusiasts across the globe. Fänge has created a new work for the beloved restaurant Teatergrillen, part of Svenska Brassier. In turn, the company Svenska Brassier has a long history of dedication to great food as well as supporting and exhibiting great art.

Teatergrillen, Östermalmstorg 3, opening April 27th, 4 – 6pm

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Award-winning photographer Johan Bergmark has a long history of photographing celebrities, and an even longer history with celebrity haunt Lydmar Hotel. As early as 1994 the photographer spent an evening taking images of director Quintin Tarantino at the hotel. With the exhibition Unsung Heroes, Bergmark revisited the hotel during the pandemic, and spent time with the hotel staff, taking intricate portraits of the backbone of the hospitality establishment. A tribute to hotel and restaurant workers alike, Bergmark has created an intimate portal to an often-overlooked aspect of conviviality and escapism in a sprawling urban environment: the people behind the scenes.

Lydmar Hotel, Södra Blasieholmen 2, opening April 28th, 5 – 7pm

Sweden’s coolest art publishing house Art and Theory has teamed up with the hotel, restaurant, bar, shop, and general hot spot Villa Dagmar to host the launch of the famed Swedish Grand Dame of art, artist Ulla Wiggen’s latest publication. The artist is having a renaissance, including being featured in this year’s Venice Biennale, along with having several upcoming solo exhibitions. In addition to the book launch, visitors can view the exhibition, Existing Systems, curated by Art and Theory, which includes Ulla Wiggen’s work, along with artists such as Jenny Källman, Sophie Tottie, and Peter Hagdahl, placed throughout the hotel. A talk between journalist Mårten Arndtsén, (Swedish Radio) and artist Ulla Wiggen will take place at Villa Dagmar, 5.30pm, the 27th of April.

Villa Dagmar, Nybrogatan 25, book launch 27th, April 5 – 7pm

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Black Iris is a new online platform attempting to serve the contemporary Swedish art scene on a platter. Initiated by the couple Anna and Mattias Camner, the artist/architect duo have co-curated their first exhibition with Gävle Konsthall director and former gallerist Jan Stene at Alma. Alma, a co-working space and creative hub located in central Stockholm known for their great private dining room and its small, but open-to-the-public, buzzing bar. The website’s ambition is to bypass any third party, like commercial galleries, and find new ways to promote and sell great art by great Swedish artists, where all the proceeds go directly to the artist. More than just a website, the new platform’s aim is to produce live exhibitions and find new avenues for artistic collaboration. The collective is already hosting to an impressive roster of artists, including YngvildSaeter, Theresa Troaé Dahlberg, Julia Peirone, and Johan Thurfjell. It’s important to note that most of the participating artists are represented by prominent Swedish galleries… well, watch this space.

Alma, Nybrogatan 8, opening April 27th, 4 – 7pm

For more information on exhibitions, openings and parties during Stockholm Art Week head here.