Södertälje Konsthall

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Collected works

Södertälje konsthall was founded in 1968 and is one of the country’s oldest municipal art galleries. More than half a century has passed, over the years the art collection has expanded and today includes approx. 6000 works. It consists of both local, national and international art. A treasure that belongs to the municipality’s residents and deserves to be shown to the public as much as possible.

The purchases have been made from some of the exhibitions, but also through current world coverage. The spirit of the times has left its mark on the collection through the various decades. Of the early purchases for Södertälje municipality’s collection, we find works by, among others, Olof Arborelius, Carl Larsson, Teodor Lidner, Arvid Ahlroth, Torgny Dufwa and Albin Amelin.

Since its inception, the kunsthalle has had a recurring collaboration with the Södertälje artists’ association “Kretsen”, which was formed in 1956. Above all, from the first decades of the kunsthalle generous purchases have been made from the members. Some early members, some of those who were already in the collection when the association was formed, are well represented in the collection. Not infrequently with at least 20 works. Among them can be mentioned Stig Thidermann, Thorsten Thunberg, Sven H Johansson, Martin Lidström and Hans Polmar. From the artists Gunnar and Teresa Seger, the kunsthalle received a large donation in 2008, which means that in total, with the previous purchases, today there are 76 works by the couple. The Assyrian artist Hanna Al-Haek was born in Syria and educated at the University of Damascus. He came to Södertälje in 1978 and became a member of the Södertälje artists’ association. The collection contains 26 of his works. A span of the early realistic sharp self-portraits where we are met by a penetrating gaze, to the later characteristic abstract acrylic painting that came to characterize Hanna’s art. The motif circle around the human interior, with a preference for the green color on the palette. The poetic always present. Jan Manker belongs to the older generation of the association´s members and is represented by 18 works. Graphics and painting. The oldest work is from 1968, the acrylic painting Another Man. The large face portrait of the man is in the color fields of gold, navy, turquoise and pink. The man’s face appears as a pattern, reminiscent of cuts from sheets of colored paper. Like a pop art icon. Who is the man? Hippie or Jesus? A self portrait? Vide Jansson formed the Grödinge group in Grödinge just outside Södertälje. The group developed its own unique graphic technique. Vide Jansson, with his colored abstract planographic prints, is probably the most well-represented artist in the collection. During the 1960s and 1970s, over 100 of his prints were purchased, often in multiple editions. His student during this time, Hans Nygren is represented by thirty-five graphic sheets.