The film Spermwhore was purchased for the Moderna Museet’s collection and later through the initiative Swedish acquisitions 2021, the seven associated printers were also purchased. In 2024, it was time for the book to see the light of day. More below:
In early 2021, Moderna Museet was allocated an extra 25 million kronor in state funding for the acquisition of art to support the Swedish art scene during the Corona pandemic. The acquisitions took place throughout 2021. Proposals streamed in via an open invitation. Professional artists, gallerists and curators could submit acquisition suggestions, and artists also had the opportunity to present work in portfolio presentations that were arranged by the Public Art Agency Sweden and the association Art Consultants in Sweden. Decisions regarding the acquired works were made by the Director of Modern Museet, in consultation with the curators in charge of the museum’s collection and the head of Moderna Museet Malmö.
The 373 acquired works are now highlighted in the book Swedish Acquisitions 2021. Each of the 169 artists is presented in a separate spread, with texts by Moderna Museet’s curators and selected images of the works. In an introductory text, Moderna Museet’s director Gitte Ørskou writes about the project Swedish Acquisitions 2021, and in each of their in-depth essays, two researchers, Mattias Danbolt (Professor of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Copenhagen) and Katarina Wadstein MacLeod (Professor of Art History at Stockholm University), describe the development of Moderna Museet’s collection from different perspectives.
The Project in Numbers:
373 artworks by 169 artists and artist groups were acquired
127 artists were selected via an open call
113 of the artists are new to Moderna Museet’s collection
The artists whose work was acquired have been active both in Sweden and abroad, as well as in Sápmi. The youngest artist was 27 and the oldest 91 years old. The artworks were produced between 1962 and 2021.
Editorial board: Asrin Haidari, Fredrik Liew, Andreas Nilsson, Anna Tellgren, Gitte Ørskou Binding: softcover
Language: Bilingual Swedish/English
Graphic design: Aron Kullander-Östling
Size: 21.7 × 28 cm
Pages: 412
Images: c. 400
Co-published with Art & Theory Publishing
ISBN 978-91-988705-4-1
Buy it here: