Nationalmuseum’s summer exhibition at Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum celebrates the art of Wilhelm Kåge

In 1917 the Gustavsberg porcelain works hired Wilhelm Kåge, a commercial artist. That same year the manufacturer introduced a “dinner service for the working class”. Nationalmuseum’s summer exhibition at the Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum is marking the centenary with a comprehensive presentation of Kåge’s diverse art. 

The exhibition features examples of Kåge’s work ranging from everyday china to art ceramics, posters, and material and glaze samples.

Wilhelm Kåge started out as a graphic designer and illustrator specialising in poster art. At the Gustavsberg porcelain works, he applied his design skills to ceramic modelling and decorating, soon mastering the use of clay as a material and an artistic medium. His creations ranged from dinner services and other mass-produced items to unique art pieces with exclusive glazes. The exhibition highlights selected parts of this diverse oeuvre, including faience earthenware, the Argenta series, Farsta stoneware and works by the KAPA partnership (Kåge, Alskog, Pettersson, Arvidsson). Examples of Kåge’s work as a visual artist are also on show.

The exhibition focuses in particular on the Liljeblå “dinner service for the working class”, which celebrates its centenary this year, having been launched at the 1917 homeware exhibition at the Liljevalchs art gallery in Stockholm. Photos and archive materials provide a snapshot of what life was like for the Gustavsberg workers. Although the Liljeblå dinner service was designed with them in mind, why did they not buy it?

In 1942 Wilhelm Kåge teamed up with a younger colleague, Stig Lindberg, to create G-studion, a goldmine of experimentation where artists could give free rein to their artistic expression under the auspices of the Gustavsberg works. The artists involved included Berndt Friberg, Karin Björquist, Mari Simmulson, Anders B Liljefors and Bengt Berglund. Kåge himself created Farsta-gods, a series of high-fired stoneware pieces in which he explored the possibilities offered by different clays, decorative techniques and glazes.

Part of the exhibition features pieces by Wilhelm Kåge from the Nationalmuseum collection, chosen by eight people who have a connection in one way or another with Kåge and his art. They have then interpreted these pieces in words, images or artworks of their own. The My Kåge project presents Kåge’s art through different voices, showing that it remains highly relevant today.

Värmdö Municipality and Nationalmuseum have started a collaboration on the operation of Gustavsbergs Porcelain Museum. In the summer of 2017, the porcelain museum will be run by Nationalmuseum with exhibitions, programs, ceramic workshop and museum shop during the period.

Ceramic workshop at the Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum

The ceramic workshop (open Thursdays to Sundays, 29 June to 13 August) focuses on form, decoration and pattern, taking inspiration from the exhibition. Under the guidance of the museum’s experienced ceramicists, visitors can try their hand at shaping and decorating clay, while learning about different techniques, colours and glazes. There is also a sketching workshop where visitors can create paper prototypes to decorate and paint.

Press viewing

A press viewing of the exhibition will take place on Wednesday 14 June from 3pm to 5pm, led by Marika Bogren and Ulrika Schaeder from Nationalmuseum, the exhibition curators. Christina Kåge, the artist’s daughter, and Berndt Arell, the director general of Nationalmuseum, will also be present.

Location: Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum, Odelbergs väg 5, Gustavsberg. RSVP by 12 June to press@nationalmuseum.se.

Media contacts

Marika Bogren, curator, marika.bogren@nationalmuseum.se, 0704-93 63 50

Mattias Robertson, press officer, press@nationalmuseum.se, 0767-23 46 32