ART CITIES:Stockholm Donations in Moderna Museet

Having first started collecting together as students, Swedish couple Anna-Stina Malmborg-Hoglund and Gunnar Hoglund, MDs, together built up one of Europe’s great contemporary art collections. Their first major acquisition, a Picasso ink and wash drawing, “La danseuse sur la table”, was made in 1960. The second followed three years later with the acquisition of the Rauschenberg’s “Untitled (Small oil on canvas #4)”  in Paris in 1963.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Moderna Museet Archive

In 10/2/15, Anna-Stina Malmborg and Gunnar Höglund, two of Sweden’s most prominent art collectors since the ‘60s, sold 12 works from their Collection including, “Concetto Spaziale, Attese” by Lucio Fontana alongside a group of 11 further works by: Robert Rauschenberg, Jean Tinguely, James Rosenquist, John Chamberlain, Claes Oldenburg, Christo, Arman and Joel Shapiro at Sotheby’s. As the couple says, “When one reaches our age, and has no children, it is easier to part with the art. It becomes more gratifying to let other people enjoy it”. A large share of the proceeds from the auction (EUR 5.4 million), have been given to the Anna-Stina Malmborg and Gunnar Höglund Foundation for the acquisition of art for Moderna Museet. The Foundation focuses on contemporary works by artists active in Europe and the USA. Though it had never been their intention that their art collecting should be profitable. “The donation by Anna-Stina Malmborg and Gunnar Höglund marks the beginning of an entirely new chapter in Moderna Museet’s history. The Museum has experienced nothing like this for many decades. Key works by some of the world’s most seminal artists will become part of the Swedish people’s art heritage. This is an occasion for all of us to express our joy and gratitude”, said Daniel Birnbaum, director of Moderna Museet. The following works have been purchased with funds from the Anna-Stina Malmborg and Gunnar Höglund Foundation in 2015: Louise Bourgeois: “Janus Fleuri” (1968) & ”Blue is the Colour of Your Eyes” (2008), Olafur Eliasson” “Model Room” 2003, Günther Förg: “Coney Island” (2000), Michel Majerus: “Gewinn” (2000), Sigmar Polke: “Untitled” (2000), Rosemarie Trockel: “After the Hunt” (2013), “Study for After the Hunt” (2013) & “Cluster III” (2014-15). The works by Olafur Eliasson, Günther Förg and Rosemarie Trockel are currently on display in the exhibition rooms at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Further acquisitions are planned for 2016. Among the former works from the collection that have since been donated or sold are: Cy Twombly’s “Untitled Bolzena” (1969) & “Roman Notes” (1970) and Lucio’s Fontana, “Concetto spaziale” (1964), all of which have been donated to Stockholm’s Moderna Museet, while the funds acquired from Sotheby’s 2007 sale of Andy Warhol’s “Flowers” were allocated to the Museum for the acquisition of works by female artists. Having both sustained long-standing ties with the Moderna Museet, Anna-Stina Malmborg-Hoglund participated in the Board of the Museum Friends for 18 years and served as Chairman for 12 years, the collectors continue to act as donors.