Passion plus

The basic concept of the exhibition has been inspired by a 2002 comics exhibition in Paris, whose aim was to introduce the new Swedish masterpieces of the genre to the public and, simultaneously, place Sweden alongside Belgium, France and other comics superpowers on the comics world map. In the 1920s and 1930s, thanks to Oscar Jacobson's uncaptioned, humorous stories, Swedish comics had a large number of enthusiasts, but in the second half of the 60s, with the discontinuation of the stories, the interest in them also diminished.

The exhibition at kArton presents the works of today's Swedish and Finnish comic artists. The Swedish curator Kristiina Kolehmainen has chosen the title "Passion" with the open intention of subverting the stereotype according to which the Swedish disposition cannot be reconciled with the word passion. In all probability many others disagree with this position, and not merely as a result of one or two hot-blooded products of the Scandinavian film industry.

The exhibited works also question this cliché. The artists handle the given theme freely using various techniques and genres from comics (taken in the classical sense) to paintings, from collages to animation.

The list of participants of the previous Passion exhibition is now complemented, for the first time, with the names of young Finnish artists.

Presentation and discussion:

With the participation of Fredrik Strömberg (author of Black Images in the Comics: a Visual History and Swedish Comics History and contributor for Bild & Bubbla Comics Magazine).

15 January 2004 beginning at 17.00

Participants: •Sweden: Max Andersson, Asa Grennvall, Mats Källblad, Knut Larsson, David Liljemark, Joakim Lindengren, Maja Lindén, Sara Lundberg, Gunnar Lundkvist, Ulf Lundkvist, Annmari Olsson, Agneta Persson, Lars Sjunneson, Eva Lindström, Camilla Eklund, Oskar Aspman, Niclas Asker •Finland: Terhi Ekebom, Tommi Musturi, Mikko Väyrynen