Flat Octopus visited the artist-run collective and gallery Detroit Stockholm hosts in total of twenty-five studio spaces. One of the beautiful things about large artist-run collectives such as Detroit is the variety of artists one gets to meet, each working in a completely different way and the warm friendly atmosphere of a shared space. We saw the works of five artists who talked about their practices and you can see snapshots of their work in the images hovering around.
Maja Svensdotter is a visual artist with an MFA degree (InSpace) from Konstfack. Maja showed us her intricate paper-cuts reminiscent of strange museum archives collections, even further enhanced by some of the specimens being positioned in glass jars. Her background in craft and design shows in the meticulous detail of the small works, as well as in various hand-made objects and pieces of furniture on display in her studio space
Maja Svensdotter, Closed universes, papercuttings in glass jars, various sizes, 2019, photo by Paulina Granat
Maja Svensdotter, detail of studio wall. Photo: Paulina Granat
Fritz Østeb met us in his eclectic corner of installations, mosaics, sharp objects, and found objects. A 2020 Ceramics & Glass graduate from Konstfack, his work is a combination of clean and mechanical elements with a whizz of pop art.
Roberto Garcia Lozano is a self-taught artist with roots in IT and interactive media, interested in digital art, graffiti and body art. He combines various techniques and different materials – most recently strings, knots and ropes – in his paintings. He explains the small trolls isolated in glass jars are reflecting the impact of the pandemic on our mental health. Roberto is one of the newest members at Detroit.
Martin Lundberg is a Swedish visual artist with a degree from the Royal Art Academy in the Hague, Netherlands; also a board member of Detroit. It was refreshing to listen to Martin, his works are unpretentious, lightweight, and deliberately pretty, soothing to the eye. Depicting the mythological flying carriages of Vimana in his latest watercolor drawings, the enjoyment of the creative process forms a vital part of the works’ charm.
Eliska Kovacikova is a Slovakian artist based in Stockholm who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava and the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm. Her main interest is the investigation of space, an abstracted version of the architectonic, urban images that are seen all around us. She works in printmaking, digital media, drawing and installation.
Henrik Green (b. 1993) is a visual artist working with painting, performance art and installation. He studied Fine Arts at Folkuniversitetet Stockholm and holds a M.A. of Science from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. His watercolour paintings are geometric and meticulously planned but at the same time light and organic, at times presenting map-like landscapes and at others abstract and fluid. Henrik’s technical background clearly shows through in the depicted subjects: questions of the anthropocene, climate issues and the attempt to find harmony in chaos.
Hinni Huttunen (b. 1990) is a Finnish artist based in Stockholm with a MA in Fine Arts from the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm, and a BA in Culture and Arts from Tampere University of Applied Sciences. In her art practice she works mainly with the formats of video and digital photography. The themes explored are self-portrait, body expression, investigation of hetero-normative structures of partnerships, expressions of sadness and absence, as much as poetic visions of imaginary lovers and invisible dogs.
Åsa Ekman studied Fine Arts at Väsby konstskola and works with painting, illustration and pyrography. In her work, we encounter dreamlike characters inspired by children’s books illustrations and mythology. She upcycles old art pieces and materials and brings them new life by introducing playful and unexpected elements. As an added bonus, Åsa is also fond of octopuses.
Malin Neuman (b. 1981) holds a MA in Fine Art from Zurich University of the Arts, a BA in Geography from Stockholm University, and studied art at Sigtuna folkhögskola and Byam Shaw School of Art in London. She works in various mediums such as film, performance, fabric and embroidery, each approached with the same thoughtful and analytical mindset. With a strong interest in geography, gender and language she explores the domestic and public spheres and power relations that occur within them.
Flat Octopus 