Farewell realism!

Five of the foremost representatives of the new Swedish realism: Ola Billgren, Jan Håfström, John-Erik Franzén, Lars Kleen, and Peter Tillberg presented a collection of paintings and sculptures from 1963-1975. John-Erik Franzén’s painting “Cadillac Eldorado”, depicted in natural size and with photographic precision, was a classic example of Swedish new realism. On Malmö Konsthall’s long wall, Ola Billgren’s paintings were displayed, many of them inspired by French and Italian cinema.

“Farewell Realism!” had previously been exhibited in Germany under the name “Neuer Realismus aus Schweden” and was produced by NUNSKU (Committee for Exhibitions of Contemporary Swedish Art Abroad). As Ola Billgren believed, we were all moving away from realism in different directions, hence the exhibition’s Swedish name. In the background of Lars Kleen’s eerie structures with dramatically wrecked boats, you could find Peter Tillberg’s classic painting “Blir du lönsam lille vän? (Will You Be Profitable, My Little Friend?)”, which is now part of Moderna Museet’s collections.