Angelika Knäpper

LENA CRONQVIST

VÄRMLANDS MUSEUM, KARLSTAD
23 MAY 2026 – 17 JANUARY 2027

With the passing of Lena Cronqvist (1938–2025), Sweden lost one of its most significant and influential artists. With a career spanning over more than six decades, Cronqvist developed a deeply personal artistic language that has made her one of the defining figures in Swedish art from the mid 20th century and onwards.

This extensive exhibition brings together works from throughout Cronqvist’s remarkable career, from paintings dating back to the 1960s to some of her final works from the 2020s. The presentation also includes her sculptures in bronze and terracotta, alongside drawings, sketches, and prints, offering a broad insight into the richness and diversity of her artistic practice.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Värmlands Museum has published an extensive catalogue featuring texts by Magnus Bons, Olle Granath, and Anna Persson, among others.

The exhibition has been reviewed by:

Lotta Jonson, Dagens Nyheter, 14 July 2026
Mathias Jansson, Fokus, 26 July 2026
Håkan Nilsson, Svenska Dagbladet, 23 August 2026

For further information, please contact the gallery or visit Värmlands Museum.

"LENA CRONQVIST"

Angelika Knäpper Gallery and Anna Persson Gallery are proud to announce the joint representation of the Estate of Lena Cronqvist (1938-2025). As a first step, the galleries present a double exhibition located in both spaces. The exhibitions consist of sculptures and works on paper.

Lena Cronqvist was indisputably one of the most important Swedish artists of the 20th and early 21st century. She holds a unique position as the artist who combined a deep interest in colour and form with existential depictions of human conditions. With her passing in the summer of 2025, the Scandinavian art scene lost one of its most esteemed artists. However, her legacy will continue to inspire in exhibitions in museums and in the galleries. This exhibition is the first in a series of upcoming shows with focus on different themes and periods of Cronqvist's oeuvre.

Lena Cronqvist studied at the University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, and at the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm, 1959-1964. She made her debut in 1965 at Galerie Pierre and continued very actively to exhibit both in Sweden and internationally. Lena Cronqvist is represented at numerous major museums, such as Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Gothenburg Museum of Art, Borås Art Museum, Norrköping Art Museum, Linköping Art Museum and others. Many of her sculptures are installed in public spaces.

Lena Cronqvist was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. She received several scholarships and awards during her lifetime, including the Prince Eugen Medal for outstanding artistic achievements in 1994.

For further information and enquiries about available works, please contact the gallery.