Art, Design and Stories That Reach Far Beyond the Auction Room

The Signature Sale opens the autumn season of live auctions at Stockholms Auktionsverk with a broad selection of modern and classical art. Swedish artists represented include Ragnar Sandberg, Isaac Grünewald, Ernst Billgren, Jenny Nyström and Nils Kreuger. The international section features, among others, abstract compositions by Robert Rauschenberg, Arman and Herbert Gentry.

A particularly notable feature is the acclaimed art project in which astronaut Marcus Wandt’s photographs from his 21 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been interpreted in paint by Lars Lerin. Wandt’s photographs are not scientific documentation in the traditional sense, but an attempt to capture a deeply personal and existential experience. Based on the photographs, Lerin has created two independent works of art, now going under the hammer in support of UNHCR’s work with people displaced by the war in Ukraine.

– This is an unusual meeting point between art, science and humanism. Science and technology made the journey into space possible, while art gives the human experience a language. It is precisely this duality that makes the project so fascinating, says Joakim Geiger, Art Specialist at Stockholms Auktionsverk.

The auction’s design section also includes several objects whose stories are intertwined with unique environments. One highlight is Jonas Bohlin’s Andromeda pendant light, originally designed for star chef Tommy Myllymäki’s restaurant Aira in Stockholm. The light was created as a site-specific work for the restaurant’s generous and airy interior, and was later further developed by Bohlin together with Örsjö Belysning for private settings.

The design section also features Kaare Klint’s classic Faaborg armchair, a floral-decorated cabinet by Erik Chambert and a relief by Finnish designer Taisto Kaasinen, created for Tallink Silja. Chambert is regarded as one of Sweden’s foremost designers of the 20th century, combining furniture craftsmanship, art and interior architecture in his work.

The applied arts section likewise features renowned names and accomplished craftsmanship. Among the highlights are rugs from Tabriz and Heriz, as well as works by Märta Måås-Fjetterström and Ingegerd Silow. Smaller highlights include Hans Hedberg’s vases in high-fired faience and fine Swedish silver dating from the 17th century onwards.

By bringing together artistic significance, design and fascinating provenance, The Signature Sale offers an engaging start to the autumn season – one defined by character, individuality and stories that extend far beyond the auction room.