Charlotte Gyllenhammar

Charlotte Gyllenhammar’s impressive production explores themes like power, vulnerability and identity. Her breakthrough came in 1993 with the monumental public installation Dö för dig (Die for you) – a 120-year-old oak tree suspended upside down in the heart of Stockholm. Since then, Gyllenhammar has produced work in several disciplines, including video, photography, and installation, but has truly excelled in the sculptural medium. She often revisits the same characters and motifs in her work, especially the child clad in a protective armour of overalls or the woman weighed down by layers of skirts and furs. While investigating deeply personal and intimate themes, Gyllenhammar will often, as with her debut, literally turn these on their heads to force a new perspective onto the viewer.

Gyllenhammar’s succesful artistic practice rests on a decade-long education at the following prestigious institutions: Gothenburg Art College, Gothenburg, Sweden (B.F.A.), 1982 - 1983; the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm - Painting (M.F.A.), 1983 - 1989 and the Royal College of Art, London – Sculpture (Post M.F.A. Studies), 1990 - 1991. In 1995, Gyllenhammar was also appointed professor at the Malmö Art Academy.

Her public commissions include memorials to internationally acclaimed Swedish diplomats Raoul Wallenberg (1912 – disappeared 17 January 1945, Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in German-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust in the later stages of World War II), 2007 and Dag Hammarskjöld (1905 – 1961, Swedish diplomat who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a mysterious plane crash in September 1961), 2021; the sculpture Meteorite (2017) in Lund, Sweden and the fountains Mother (2014) and & child(2016) in Malmö, Sweden.

Gyllenhammar’s works have been presented at UNESCO, Paris (1993), the Venice Biennale (2011) and in exhibitions all over the world, including Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain (2014), National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C. (2017) and BIWAKO Biennale, Japan (2020). Her work is represented in several important Nordic and international institutions, including Moderna Museet, Stockholm; Kiasma, Helsinki and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. In 2022, she presented the solo exhibition Croiser/Korsa at Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, Stockholm and in 2023 she was the first Swedish artist to unveil a work for the prestigious Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation sculpture park on Royal Djurgården in Stockholm. In September 2023, on the 30th jubilee of Dö för Dig, a new version of the artwork was installed at the same location in a collaboration between the artist, the Swedish Public Art Agency and Stockholm Art.

Over the course of, nearly, four decades Gyllenhammar has participated in an impressive number of group exhibitions like: Fyra unga, Galleri Astley Nylén, Uttersberg, Sweden (1987); Fyra unga, Landskrona Exhibition Hall, Landskrona, Sweden (1987); SUB 117, (Site specific exhibition in a military shelter), Stockholm (1988); Skulptur - 88, Linköping’s Garden Association, Linköping, Sweden (1988); Avgång, Carl Milles Studio (Millesgården), Stockholm (1989); Konstnationalen, Globen, Stockholm (1989); Pliable Patience, Royal College of Art, London (1991); Enigma, Gothenburg Museum of Art, Gothenburg, Sweden (1991); Identitet, Galleri Enkehuset, Stockholm (1992); Dead Darlings, Stockholm Art Fair, Stockholm (1992); Nyköp, Moderna Museet, Stockholm (1993); Yttervärlden är innervärlden är yttervärlden, Lund’s Exhibition Hall, Lund, Sweden (1993); Triptyk, (performance), Modern Dance Theater, Stockholm (1993); Tre möten med Bror Hjorth, Bror Hjorth House, Uppsala, Sweden (1993); Udsyn, med Moderna Museet in i 90-talet, National Art Association, Copenhagen (1993); Jewish Center’s 30-Year Jubilee, Jewish Center, Stockholm (1993); Prix UNESCO pour la promotion des arts, UNESCO Building, Paris (1993); Spelets regler, Kulturhuset/Sergelstorg, Stockholm (1993); Jorden, Moderna Museet, Stockholm (1994); Streets, Helsinki Exhibition Hall, Helsinki (1995); Carl von, Borås Art Museum, Borås, Sweden (1996); Start’ 98, The Culture Capital Year, Stockholm (1998); Icegarden, Berry House, London (1998); So Far Away, So Close, Encore, Bruxelles/Espace Méridian, Brussels (1999); Officina Europa, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Italy (1999); The Estrand Foundation Art Prize, Rooseum Exhibition Hall, Malmö, Sweden (2000); Vertigo, Wanås 2002; Ann Hamilton and Charlotte Gyllenhammar, The Wanås Foundation, Knislinge, Sweden (2002); Ur Museets Samling, Västerås Art Museum, Västerås, Sweden (2002); Extension, Work from the Collection, Magasin 3 Stockholm Exhibition Hall, Stockholm (2002); Airborne, Midlanda Exhibition Hall, Sundsvall, Sweden (2002); Contemporary Art from Sweden, European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany (2003); Le songe d’ une d’ été, Swedish Institute, Paris (2003); EgÄntligen Hemma, Traveling Exhibition: Bohusläns Exhibition Hall, Uddevalla - Nacka Exhibition Hall, Nacka - Skövde Exhibition Hall, Skövde, Sweden (2004); European Space - Sculpture Quadrennial (Representing Sweden), Riga (2004); Umedalen Skulptur 10th Anniversary, Umedalen Sculpture Park, Umeå, Sweden (2004); Dwellan, Charlottenborg Exhibition Hall, Copenhagen (2004); Scandinavian Photography 1: Sweden, Faulconer Gallery, Grinell College, Grinell, Iowa, U.S.A. (2005); Amory Show, Galleri Charlotte Lund, New York City, U.S.A. (2005); Insomnia (including Ann-Sofi Sidén and Hanna Hartman), Moviken Art, Hudiksvall, Sweden (2006); Paris Photo – Invitational for the Nordic Countries, Central Exhibition –Photographer Representing Sweden, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris (2006); Rock’n Roll Vol. I, Sørlandet Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway (2007); Rock’n Roll Vol .I, Norrköping Museum of Art, Norrköping, Sweden (2007); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, New Art Centre Sculpture Park & Gallery, Roche Court, Wiltshire, U.K. (2007); Som du ser mig – portratt från samlingen, Malmö Art Museum, Malmö, Sweden (2007); Inaugural Exhibition, Drawing Museum, Laholm, Sweden (2007); Linnéa, Borås Art Museum, Borås, Sweden (2007); Swedish Self-Portraits, Mjellby Art Museum, Halmstad, Sweden (2008); Borås International Sculpture Festival, Borås, Sweden (2008); Modern Love, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C. (2008); Give Me Shelter, Attingham Park, Shropshire, U.K. (2008); State of Mind, Christian Larsen, Stockholm (2008); Mythos Kindheit, CCA Andratx, Mallorca, Spain (2009); Mythos Kindheit, Haus für Kunst, Uri, Switzerland (2009); Tracking Traces, KIASMA, Helsinki (2009); Disidentifikation, Göteborgs konsthall, Gothenburg, Sweden (2010); Darker than Night, Casino Metropolitano, Mexico City (2010); Hang, Fondazione Orsi, Milan, Italy (2011); Glasstress 2011, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (2011); Platsens själ, Artipelag, Stockholm, Sweden (2012); The water event, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, Germany (2013); The water event, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark (2013); The water event, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain (2014); The 10th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, China (2015); Fashion & Performance, RMIT Design Hub, Melbourne, Australia (2015); Du är redan här, Rymd, Stockholm (2015); The Garden Party – samtida svensk skulptur, Thielska Galleriet, Stockholm (2016); Inauguaration of 350th Anniversary Monument, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden (2017); Alma Löv, Östra Ämtervik, Sweden (2017); 30th Anniversary NMWA National Museum of Women in The Arts, Washington D.C. (2017); Like a horse, Fotografiska, Stockholm (2017); Terrains of the Body: Photography from the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2017); Turning Time, Magasin III, Stockholm (2018); Detour, Artipelag, Stockholm (2018 - 2019); Idrottsminnen, Konsthall 16, Riksidrottsmuseet, Stockholm (2019); OpenART Biennale, Örebro, Sweden (2019); Blickachsen 12, International Sculpture Biennale, Bad Homburg and Frankfurt, Germany (2019); BIWAKO BIENNALE 2020, Cosmic Dance, Hikone, Japan (2020); CHART Art Fair, Copenhagen (2024); Gazing bodies, CFHILL, Stockholm (2024); Pilane Sculpture park, Tjörn, Sweden (2024) and Människoungar (50th Anniversary Kulturhuset), Stockholm (2024).

Gyllenhammar’s array of solo exhibitions is equally impressive, as the following list makes clear: Haunted, Carl Milles Studio (Millesgården), Stockholm (1993); Self-Portrait, Mölndals Exhibition Hall, Gothenburg, Sweden (1994); The Unlikeness II, Maneten, Gothenburg, Sweden (1996); The Unlikeness, Galleri Charlotte Lund, Stockholm (1996); The Unlikeness II in Miniature, Arch Galleri, Kalmar, Sweden (1997); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Svenska Dagbladet Newspaper Internet Gallery, Stockholm (1997); Belle, Caisse des dépôts et consignations, Paris (1998); Disobedience, Galleri Rix, Linköping, Sweden (1998); Belle, Carl Milles Studio (Millesgården), Stockholm (1999); Fall, Galleri Charlotte Lund, Stockholm (1999); Fall, Gothenburg Museum of Art, Gothenburg, Sweden (2001); The Spectators, Moderna Museet, Stockholm (2003); Obstacles and Disguises, Galleri Charlotte Lund, Stockholm (2003); Private Idiot, Kulturhuset, Stockholm (2004); Private Idiot, Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsingborg, Sweden (2005); Private Idiot, Borås Art Museum, Borås, Sweden (2005); Drawings, Mårtenson & Persson Gallery, Torekov, Sweden (2006); På Mattan (Artist of the Year), Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Båstad, Sweden (2006); Hang, Dep,art,ment, Stockholm (2006); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Swarovski Krystalwelten, Wattens, Austria (2007); B-Head, SAK Gallery (Sveriges Allmänna Konstförening), Stockholm (2008); Deformation, Christian Larsen, Stockholm (2009); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, House of Sweden, Washington D.C. (2011); Revisit, Wanås Foundation, Knislinge, Sweden (2011); Stenens mun, Carl Eldhs Ateljémuseum, Stockholm (2013); Night, Stockholm (2014); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Gothenburg Museum of Art, Gothenburg, Sweden (2015); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Västerås Konstmuseum, Västerås, Sweden (2015); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Kristinehamns Konstmuseum, Kristinehamn, Sweden (2016); Natt, Fotografiska, Stockholm (2016 - 2017); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Natt och Dag, Munkeruphus Museum, Denmark (2017); Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Drawing and Gouache, Galleri Hammarén, Gothenburg, Sweden (2018); Kastad/Cast, Galerie Forsblom, Stockholm (2019); Kastad/Cast, Skissernas Museum, Lund, Sweden (2020); Kastad/Cast, Vandalorum, Värnamo, Sweden (2021); Kastad/Cast, Bohusläns Museum, Uddevalla, Sweden (2021); Believe my Eyes, CFHILL, Stockholm (2022); Croiser/Korsa, Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, Stockholm (2022); CFHILL, Market Art Fair, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm (2023); Untold, Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation, Stockholm (2023) and Die for You / Take root 2023, Stockholm (2023).

To all of this could be added several much loved and talked about public installations like: Absorbed, Stockholm University Campus, Stockholm (2001); På Mattan, Akademiska Hus, Sweden (2006); Ute, (permanent installation in bronze), Borås, Sweden (2006); Wonder, Foreign Policy Institute, Stockholm,(2006); Raoul Wallenberg Memorial, Commission from the City of Gothenburg, Sweden (2007); Pilgrim Altar, Linköping Cathedral, Linköping, Sweden (2009); Studium, Oslo University, Oslo (2012); Mother, Malmö, Sweden (2014); &child, Malmö, Sweden (2016); Meteorite, Lund University, Lund, Sweden (2017); Equilibrium, Värnamo, Sweden (2021); Dag, Minnesmonument, Dag Hammarskjöld, Uppsala Castle, Uppsala, Sweden (2021); Ute flicka, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm (2022) and Untold, Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation, Stockholm (2023).

Gyllenhammar is also represented in the following (selected) collections: Aaron Levine, Washington D.C. ; Anthony T. Podesta, Washington D.C. ; Bo Ahlstrand, Sweden; Bonnier Cooperation, Stockholm; Borås Art Museum, Borås, Sweden; Brommastaden AB, Stockholm; Catella Capital Administration; Cevian Capital; Didier Kahn, Paris; Eriksberg’s Administration, Gothenburg, Sweden; European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany; Fondazione Orsi, Milano, Italy; Gothenburg Museum of Art, Gothenburg, Sweden; Jan Widlund, Stockholm; Jeanette Bonnier, Stockholm; KIASMA, Helsinki; Lisa and Tom Blumenthal, Boston, U.S.A.; Magasin 3 Stockholm Exhibition Hall, Stockholm; Malmö Art Museum, Malmö, Sweden; Mario Testino, London; Matthew C. and Iris Strauss, Solana Beach, U.S.A.; Moderna Museet, Stockholm; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C. ; St. Erik’s Hospital, Stockholm; Stockholm Art Council, Stockholm; Uppsala Kommun, Uppsala, Sweden; Västerås Art Museum, Västerås, Sweden and Wanås Foundation Exhibitions, Knislinge, Sweden.

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