Gränstrakt (Borderland)

Skåne Landscape Painting Meets Contemporary Works as the Art Museums in Malmö and Ystad Open a Joint Exhibition

The exhibition Gränstrakt is based on Malmö Art Museum’s and Ystad Art Museum’s extensive collections of Skåne landscape paintings from the period 1850–1950. At both museums, older paintings are shown in dialogue with contemporary works. Gränstrakt is therefore an exhibition displayed in two locations.

Through the lens of landscape painting, we gain insight into our relationship with nature and ourselves over time. Today, issues of national identity and belonging in relation to art and culture have once again become relevant in Swedish politics. The Gränstrakt exhibition problematizes the role of landscape painting in relation to notions of a culturally homogeneous and original place in the past, and how artistic representations have been used to foster feelings of belonging.

At Ystad Art Museum, Gränstrakt delves into the first half of the 20th century, focusing on five landscape painters who are well represented in the collections. Their paintings are juxtaposed with contemporary works that explore issues of place and identity. This interaction reveals how cultural heritage influences our view of the landscape and rural areas today.
Images of the landscape appear not only in art but also in contexts such as advertising and marketing. Stereotypical images of Skåne are used to attract both tourists and investors. Landscape imagery is also employed in political campaigns, both to convey hope for a greener future and to promote conservative notions of a better past.
Today, views on nature are one of the strongest elements in Swedish national consciousness. Questions of national belonging in relation to art and culture are highly relevant, especially in light of the ongoing work to develop a Swedish cultural canon.
— "Our collections carry many stories that are shaped over time and through the selection of artworks we make, both in acquisitions and presentations. Each image holds much more than the subject it depicts. By showcasing a selection of our historical landscape paintings, placing them in a contemporary context, and initiating new encounters across time and space, we raise new questions and perspectives that enrich our view of our history and how it has shaped the time we live in," says Ýrr Jónasdóttir, Director of Ystad Art Museum.

Curators: Julia Björnberg, Anna Johansson, and Ellen Klintenberg.

Gränstrakt will be shown at Malmö Art Museum and Ystad Art Museum from May 18 to November 3. The exhibition is part of Den platta jorden – a network for artistic exploration of Skåne.