ALFIE ATKINS AT THE MUSEUM
21 June – 17 September 2023
Over the summer, there will be an exhibition on Alfie Atkins and his creator, the writer and illustrator Gunilla Bergström, whose original works will be on display, providing insight into the little boy who lives alone with his father and gives it his all when faced with crises of any size.
Deploying bright colours, strong contours and thought-provoking dialogue, Gunilla Bergström (1942 – 2021) sought to both rewrite and depict life itself. She is best known as the creator of Alfie Atkins, who many consider to be among their childhood friends.
The themes are existential, and in Alfie Atkins’ colourful world, stories for children unfold – but the adults are by no means left out. This is a world where we can be both big and small at once. A world of images that amuse, concern and tug at our heart strings as Alfons demonstrates an ability to find answers and solutions even when things get tough.
Gunilla Bergström used collage as her primary narrative element, long before digital technology became widespread within illustration. She used blank paper, wallpaper samples and pieces of fabric to create her images, combining this collage with cartoon images, and often drawing thick black lines around her figures.
This exhibition will mark the first time that the original illustrations behind Alfie Atkins have been put on display in Denmark. The Alfie Atkins books account for the bulk of Gunilla Bergström’s work; they appeared in twentysix books, and have been translated into forty languages.
Bruno Liljefors
29 September 2023 – 14 January 2024
Autumn this year will offer a series of wild nature paintings by the Swedish artist Bruno Liljefors (1860 – 1939). This is a chance to see first-hand his dramatic depictions of animals as they fight and flee, alongside meticulously painted images of birds in natural surroundings.
The exhibition will span a wide range of works from one of Scandinavia’s most important painters of the natural world.