Tobias Birgersson
I work as a free Artist with Arts and craft, Design and Art. I have been working with teaching at University level since 2007 for Konstfack, Ädellab and as an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer for The University of Gothenburg HDK since 2016. I am a founding member of LOD Gallery and Atelier and Kungsholmens Täljargille.
Contact info:
Tobias Birgersson
Öbackavägen 15
168 39 Bromma, SWEDEN
e-mail: tobias@tobiasbirgersson.se
phone: +46 70 659 44 92
Represented by:
Galleri Sebastian Schildt
Strandvägen 5 B
114 51 Stockholm
galleri@gallerisebastianschildt.se
phone: +46 (0)8 665 40 88
Contemporary Metal Artist & Object Maker
Material and craft used to be so important to me and to my identity. Now I tend to see the material and level of craft mastery as different colours in my box of crayons. It is both completely unimportant and so important at the same time.
Art, and probably especially craft, have a narcissistic core but loving what you do can be a powerful driving force. On the other hand, if you lack the ability to take a step back and reflect on what you have done, then you are in trouble.
Art and craft start with tradition and material. They can be mined by the contemporary maker to answer why, what, how and for whom.
How makers deal with process is up to them, as long as they do it. If all of the experimentation goes on in the realm of ideas, it is very probable that when the concept finally enters the material world it will be seriously flawed.
How to deal with the pure joy of making? Is it ever possible or okay that this might be enough for the maker, and the viewer is left to fill the object with content and context? Or would this just end up being a case of pareidolia, the mind perceiving a pattern where it doesn’t exist?
(Part of a dialogue with Damian Skinner. Read the full text here. Photos by: Christian Habetzeder.)
Represented:
2001
The Swedish National Museum, Stockholm, SWE
Gallery:
2022–
Galleri Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
Membership:
2007
Kungsholmens Täljargille, Stockholm, SWE
2004
Nutida Svenskt Silver, member gallery, Stockholm, SWE
2001–2007
Konsthantverkarna, membergallery, Stockholm, SWE
1999–2020
LOD Metal, atelier and gallery, Stockholm.
Education:
1999–2001
Master of Fine Arts, metallformgivning, Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, SWE
Awards:
2022
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, one year working grant.
2004
Unga Konsthantverkare 2004, stipendium, Bengt Julins Fond, National museum.
2003
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, two year working grant.
Curator of:
2024
Wunderkammer at the Orangeri, Englisher Garten during Munich International Jewelry Week, GER
2022
Extended Family at Streitfeld during Munich International Jewelry Week, GER
2021
The Fourth Dimension at Not Quite Fengersfors, SWE
2020
Sharing is Caring Orangerie, Englischer Garden, Munich, GER
Andrew Hayes tour, Gallery LOD, Steneby Arthall, Wallénhallen, Gallery Sebastian Schildt, SWE
Uncommon Element Gallery Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm, SWE
Metal endeavours International Meta Exhibition, Gallery Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
2018
HDK Steneby GBG Design Week Högskolan för Design och Konsthantverk, SWE
Adi Toch-Shifting space Israel/GB Gallery LOD, SWE
Forge Form Fabricate Southern University of Illinois Museum, USA
Metall+Metall Steneby Art Hall, SWE
Äta Korpus Karolina Hägg, Gallery LOD, SWE
2017
WHATNOT Myra Mimlitsch Gray/US Gallery LOD, SWE
Latest solo:
2023
The Swedish Connection with Andrew Hayes at Penland Focus Gallery, USA
2022
Contact, Gallery Kaleido, Uppsala, SWE
2021
Body, Contained, Galleri Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
2019
Atrium Gallery, Vida Museum, Öland, SWE
2009
Sensual, Gallery Nutida Svenskt Silver, Stockholm, SWE
Group Exhibitions by selection:
2024
Wunderkammer at the Orangeri, Englisher Garten during Munich International Jewelry Week, GER
2023
Gone Astray, Auf Abwegen Schmuckmuseum Pfortzheim, (Book), GER
60 år av kreativitet, Jubileumsfest med Nutida Svenskt Silver Konstakademien (Book), SWE
60 år av konsthantverkliga berättelser Svenskt Tenn (Catalogue), SWE
Silver! 60 år av kreativitet Form/Design Center Malmö, SWE
Namesake Sergelgången 29, during Stockholm Craft Week, SWE
Givandets glädje Nationalmuseum, SWE
2022
Extended Family II på Sergels torg (@pasergelstorg) during Stockholm Craft Week, SWE
Extended Family I Streitfeld, during Munich International Jewelry Week, GER
Sharing is Caring II during the Ferrous Festival, Hereford, UK
Möten Gallery Sebastian Schildt (catalogue), SWE
2021
“Dressed Up Galleri Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
“The Fourth Dimention” Not Quite, Holländeriet, Fengersfors, SWE
“Body, Contained” Photo collaboration and Original prints with Christian Habetzeder, SWE
2020
Uncommon Element Gallery Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm, SWE
Quarantena Gallery Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
Sharing is Caring Orangery, The English Garden Munich, GER
2019
LOD 20 Years VIDA Museum, SWE
ANIMATE a SCALE collective exhibition at NotQuite Fengersfors, SWE
Steneby-Metal+Metal, During “Ferrous 2019”, PopUp Gallery, Hereford, UK
International Craft Fair exhibition, Munic, GER
2018
Konst & Design Täby Kulturcentrum, Karby Gård, SWE
Tenthaus Winter Depot Galleri BOX.Gothenburg, SWE
Spoons Galerie Rosemarie Jäger. GER
Kolbermoor, GER
Tillverkat Här Galleri LOD, SWE
2017
Faculty Surplus Gallery, Illinois, USA
Corpus Maximus Gallery Sebastian Schildt, Stockholm, SWE
Ring Gallery Nutida Svenskt Silver, Stockholm, SWE
Preziosa Botticelli Gallery, Florence, ITA
2016
Schoonhooven Silver award, Schoonhoven silvermuseum, NLD
Nutida C/O Rolfs kök. Stockholm, SWE
Photoboth Kulturnatt, Stockholm, SWE
2015
Answering Pravu Munich, GER
Nutida, Svenskt Tenn, Stockholm, SWE
Gallery Nivå 125 Båstad & Vida Museum, Öland, SWE
2014
LOD Fifteen-year anniversary, Örnsköldsvik Art hall, SWE
Public Art Commission:
2021
Bon för stora småvarelser with Simon Westling, Gothenburg, SWE
2018
Divider with Päivi Ernqvist, Kalmar, SWE
Toolness of things II Ohrdruf, GER
2018
Divider with Päivi Ernqvist, Kalmar, SWE
Toolness of things II Ohrdruf, GER
2016
Pathfinder MICASA Six Walkways, Stockholm Art, SWE
Artist in Residency:
2018
AIR at Tobiashammer Techniches Denkmahl, Ohrdruf, GER
2017
SIU Carbondale Illinois US Metallsdepartment residency, USA
Collaborations:
Sharing is Caring Publication with other artists.
Toolness of things 1 Verbal nonverbal project with Art Historian Damian Skinner.
Feed the Beast photo collaboration with Christian Habetzeder, SWE
Publications:
2023
Auf Abwegen Arnoldsche Book, GER
ISBN 978-3-89790-700-3
Tala Silver, Arvinius+Orfeus publishing AB, SWE
ISBN 978-91-89270-73-2
2021
150 mm Challenge Edited by Delyth Done, UK
ISBN: 978-1-3999-0216-8
LOD Metallformgivning – verkstad, butik, galleri & mötesplats
ISBN: 978-91-519-0745-1
Publisher: Ateljé Habetzeder AB, SWE
2019
Answering Pravu. Seven corpus artists and a philosopher
ISBN: 978-91-519-0744-4 Öppna boken som PDF.
Publisher: Ateljé Habetzeder AB, SWE
2017
Forge 15 ways of Thinking About a Blacksmith collaboration with Damian Skinner.
ISBN: 978-0-9561136-3-4