Malmö Konsthall present the exhibitions of summer and autumn 2021

During summer and autumn of 2021, Malmö Konsthall present three large-scale exhibitions. They speak of inequality and discrimination, of survival and doom, of the human being and the connection between the body and nature. Firstly, during the summer months, an exhibition with José Leonilson. His autobiographical artistry tells us, among other things, about the sense of social exclusion among the LGBTQI in Brazil in the 1980s. Then the much awaited, award-winning opera-performance Sun & Sea, that brings climate crisis to Malmö Konsthall, during the autumn. And lastly an exhibition with Ann Böttcher, one of Sweden’s most cherished artists.

José Leonilson
Leonilson – Drawn: 1975–1993
19^th of June – 10^th of October 2021
Curator: Krist Gruijthuijsen

José Leonilson created his personal and poetic vision in times of political and social change in his native Brazil. This exhibition Leonilson – Drawn: 1975–1993 is the first major retrospective of his work in Europe and presents a selection of 250 works, from his early paintings to the late introspective embroidery, created after he was diagnosed with AIDS, a disease untreatable at the time.

In the mid-1980s, Leonilson (1957–1993) was one of the leading artists within the movement Geração 80 (80s generation), a group rediscovering the “joy of painting” in the years following the end of the military dictatorship in Brazil. The artistry of Leonilson presents a broad range of mediums and styles, including paintings, textile works and sculptures. His subtle and poetic artpieces criticise traditional gender roles, the class society of Brazil, and the view on homosexuals at the time. When Leonilson was diagnosed with AIDS in 1991 his autobiographical work revealed his deteriorating health and a preoccupation with death.

The exhibition is produced by KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, in collaboration with Moderna Museet, Malmö Konsthall and Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves.

The exhibition Leonilson – Drawn: 1975–1993 is shown at Malmö Konsthall as part of World Pride 2021, which will take place in both Malmö and Copenhagen, and part of the project Öppna Malmö (Open Malmö) – an initiative taken by the city of Malmö to combat discrimination and racism 2020–2022. More information about the exhibition will follow in a separate press release in the end of May. 

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Press images (password "press2021")

Sun & Sea
2nd of November – 14th of November 2021
An opera performance created by Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė

Imagine a beach – you within it, or better: watching from above – the burning sun, sunscreen and bright bathing suits and sweaty palms and legs. Tired limbs sprawled lazily across a mosaic of towels. Imagine the occasional squeal of children, laughter, the sound of an ice cream van in the distance. The musical rhythm of waves on the surf, a soothing sound (on this particular beach, not elsewhere). The crinkling of plastic bags whirling in the air, their silent floating, jellyfish-like, below the waterline. The rumble of a volcano, or of an airplane, or a speedboat. Then a chorus of songs: everyday songs, songs of worry and of boredom, songs of almost nothing. And below them: the slow creaking of an exhausted Earth, a gasp.

In November, Malmö Konsthall is transformed into a beach with singing sunbathers. Under an artificial sun, the opera-performance Sun & Sea by Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė addresses some of the most pressing issues of our time. Sun & Sea, which was awarded the Golden Lion for best national participation at the 58th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 2019, lingers in the mind like the sun’s afterburn behind the eyes. Dystopian themes are addressed in a peaceful, almost mundane environment, a sandy beach. With more than twenty cast members, this opera-performance brings together song, music, and visual art, presenting a highly innovative take on the operatic form – described as “counter-monumental” and “anti-baroque theatre”.

Malmö Konsthall is the first and only art institution to show the work in Sweden after the international successes of the work, critically acclaimed by the BBC, The Guardian and the New York Times. The performance at Malmö Konsthall is part of a Nordic tour organized by partners from Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Lithuania.

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Ann Böttcher
Verk 2000–2021 (Works 2000–2021)
4th of December 2021 – 27th of February 2022
Curators: Mats Stjernstedt & Theodor Ringborg

In December, Malmö Konsthall presents a retrospective dedicated to Ann Böttcher, one of Sweden’s most cherished artists. While Böttcher, based in Malmö, is best known for her small-scale drawings, over the years she has also developed an interest in textiles and craft, especially traditional Scandinavian weaving techniques. The exhibition Works 2000–2021 presents for the first time a comprehensive overview of her practice and offers an opportunity to discover the underlying questions posed in her works, those of ideology, control and identity, and to explore her art over time

The exhibition is on display at Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm until the 23^rd of May. The exhibition in Malmö will be extended with additional works.

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For more information & interviews:

Heidi Hakala
Communications manager
Telephone: +46 (0)70 149 3019
E-mail: heidimatilda.hakala@malmo.se

For high resolution press images, please visit the press room of Malmö Konsthall at Mynewsdesk. Press images for Leonilson via the link below the text about the exhibition.