Gunilla BergströmI’ll darn well draw the soul!

Gunilla Bergström has been one of Sweden’s leading picture book creators through the years. "I’ll darn well draw the soul!” This audacious thought was the beginning of some 40 children’s books with unforgettable characters who she still writes and illustrates to this day. But without comparison, it is Alfons Åberg, known in English as Alfie Atkins, who has become the most famous of Gunilla Bergström’s figures.

For the first time ever, original works by Gunilla Bergström are presented in a museum setting. With this exhibition, we return to the origins of the books by presenting the originals with impressions of the artist’s unique craftsmanship. Gunilla Bergström used collage as a narrative element in her works long before digital technology became common in the art of illustration. She built up her images with cut-out fabric scraps, wallpaper samples, pieces of ribbon and more. The collages are then combined with drawn images. 

The exhibition is about both the form and content of Gunilla Bergström’s creations. With a singular colour palette, precise lines and expert compositions, she shapes credible environments, placing her figures in a daily life that we can easily recognise. The questions asked are existential and applicable at all ages. Isolation. Fear. Vulnerability. The various facets of friendship. The unexpected complications of family life. Appreciating the little things. These form the foundation of Gunilla Bergström’s imagery. 

The books about Alfons Åberg have been translated into some thirty languages and comprise the majority of Gunilla Bergström’s production. In parallel with images from these books, selected artistic works are presented, such as the story of Bill and Bolla.