Artistic Interplay Explored in Matts Leiderstam's 'Solar Panel' Exhibition

An innovative exhibition at Waldemarsudde in Stockholm highlights the creative dialogue between contemporary artist Matts Leiderstam and the historic works of Prince Eugen. Titled 'Solar Panel', the exhibition presents a unique juxtaposition of styles, merging classical landscape elements with modern abstraction.

The focal point of the exhibition is Leiderstam's reimagining of Prince Eugen's large-scale altarpiece, originally created for the Kiruna Church in 1912. The church's recent relocation prompted Waldemarsudde to invite Leiderstam to produce a new piece reflecting on the iconic altarpiece. In response, Leiderstam constructed a work that integrates a geometric grid pattern with the color palette and natural motifs derived from Prince Eugen's study paintings.

The display features an interplay between Leiderstam's structured, color-blocked composition and the original stylized landscape. While the grid is rendered in shades of green, white, blue, and purple atop a deep black background, these tones correspond with those found in Prince Eugen's idyllic depiction of foliage. This chromatic resonance creates a visual connection between the two works, despite their divergent artistic approaches. Both sections are mounted on a robust wooden frame, itself forming a grid that echoes the central motif of the exhibition.

The setting of the exhibition in Prince Eugen's former studio at the top of the Waldemarsudde palace adds historical significance. This is the very space where the original altarpiece was painted, lending an additional layer of context to the dialogue between past and present.

Leiderstam's use of the grid motif is a recurring element in his practice. Several smaller works on wood panels are also included in the exhibition, each featuring decorative color schemes and thin, precise applications of paint. These pieces, which some viewers may interpret as geometric icons, include subtle solar motifs that lack the precise brightness of their larger counterparts. Another series of small paintings demonstrates how sunlight moves across the grid pattern, reflecting the architectural form of the original altarpiece and referencing the changed orientation of the Kiruna Church wall after its relocation.

The exhibition also features a timeline of photographs, sketches, correspondence, and texts displayed in cases. This timeline traces the development of Prince Eugen's altarpiece, from the earliest postcard sketches to Leiderstam's interventions, such as overlaying a grid onto an image of the first draft. The display culminates in a speculative vision of the year 2138, suggesting that the natural landscape surrounding the Kiruna Church may eventually resemble the verdant scenery depicted in the altarpiece, potentially as a result of climate change.

Additionally, one exhibit shows a photograph of Prince Eugen framing the Waldemarsudde surroundings with a measuring stick, creating a square segment that prefigures the grid structure central to Leiderstam's work.

Through its combination of historical context, visual analysis, and speculative elements, 'Solar Panel' offers a comprehensive exploration of the connections between abstraction and representation, tradition and innovation in Swedish art.