Sofia Gustafsson

Areas of interest: Art in public spaces, community-based projects and creation, re-using material, political art, climate crisis questions

Past projects you are proud of

Hej Främling!/Hey Stranger!

Position: Curator and Producer

A large-scale interactive installation by the artist and architect duo Moradavaga was produced by my team in Sweden, in collaboration with the artists through digital meetings. This method of working utilised local materials and production techniques while also engaging with international artists. The artwork was exhibited at OpenArt 2022.

Jury of the people

Position: Curator and Producer

During our past two Open Calls for OpenArt we’ve been engaging three different jury groups to help us choose artwork for the coming exhibition. One of those groups are The  jury of the people. Inhabitants of Örebro from 15 years old and up can apply to be a part of this jury. A think this is an important way to engage the local inhabitants when working with public art and extending the democratic  value.

Why have you chosen to be a curator or why has curatorship chosen you? For me, curatorship serves many purposes. I view it much like a bridge – a role that connects the art and artists with the community, visitors, and interactors, and vice versa. This role encompasses research, creativity, and curiosity. It also involves someone who creates and identifies context. For me, it felt as though curatorship chose me, or rather it was always there with me, inherent in the way I approached and worked with art.

What do you think is the purpose of art? I don’t believe that art has a specific purpose. That is what makes it so remarkable. We assign to it the meaning we desire, and this can vary from person to person, context to context. Art is something inexplicable.

Your favourite book(s): Harry Potter, of course! But from my adult reading, it is Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

Your favourite film(s): Okja directed by Bong Joon-ho

Contacts

[email protected] | www.openart.se