This exhibition explores the intersection of iconic 20th-century cultural figures, highlighting their roles in the Modernist Movement. Three figures—singer and actress Joséphine Baker (1906-1975), architect Adolf Loos (1870-1933), and art historian Gregor Paulsson (1889-1977)—are explored through their aesthetic, political, and social impacts on Modernism.

The first exhibition space presents mobile sculptures and paintings inspired by Joséphine Baker, celebrating her persona as an African-American woman who captivated France and Europe in the early 20th century. The mobile sculptures incorporate objects connected to Baker’s career, contrasting with abstract paintings in shades of gray and black that reference the “Baker House”, an unrealized project by architect Adolf Loos for the actress at the peak of her fame, yet still subject to prejudice in a predominantly white European society.”

In the second room, in the installation The Phantom Collection, the focus shifts to Swedish functionalist modernity, inspired by Gregor Paulsson’s motto: “More beautiful everyday objects.” Shelves display glass and ceramic objects designed with the intention of making beauty accessible and democratic. The installation intertwines glass and light, creating a space that blends historical, political, and contemporary references. The Phantom Collection is a new version of an earlier installation, originally exhibited in 2021 at Södertälje Konsthall outside Stockholm.

Photo: Birger Lipinski