ARTIST MUSICIAN WRITER

Leif Holmstrand

Secular Magic and Plausible Shamanistic Practices

Cut out all the faces from a daily newspaper. Leave them in the freezer for twenty-four hours. Dip the faces one by one into sugar glaze and dredge in flour. Fry them up and place them far apart from each other on a black table.
Acquiring Bodies

Acquiring Bodies / Avesta Art and Krognoshuset

Collect vintage baby carriages. Dismember some of them, and cook their parts with lots of spice in lots of fat. Apply improvised bandages. Make a pile or scatter.
The piece was completed 2015. Photos from Avesta Art: Therese Asplund. Photo from Krognoshuset in Lund: Grzegorz Fitał. Both events took place in 2017.
ASAMI KANNON CLOTHING

Asami Kannon Clothing / Ceremonial Silk Robe with Paracord Helmet

Stitch black Japanese obis together by hand into a one-piece. Crochet a sturdy, basketlike protection for your head. Add gloves, shoes and socks.
Made in 2016. Photo: Aamod and Sophelia Korhonen.
Awakening Film

Awakening Film (First Square) / Video Piece or Short Film

Perform a ritual. Enjoy a tangled and matted state of mind. Make a short black and white silent movie.
Awakening Film was completed in 2020. Supported by Råfilm, Panora, Konstfrämjandet and Fish Tank.
BREEDER COVERS

Breeder Covers / Full Sequence as Shown at Galleri Thomas Wallner

Crochet twenty-four black cotton objects on metal grids. Name them individually after slime mold species.
Completed 2018. Property of Malmö Art Museum. Photos: Grzegorz Fitał and Øystein Thorvaldsen.
Holy Helpers

Holy Helpers / Fourteen Plague Saints or Self-Portraits

Paint your face and chest. Lie on your back on black garbage bags. Continue painting. Take a lot of photos. Use them to make digital collages inspired by medieval martyrs. Let their holy names crumble and grow.
These images were completed in 2018, and exhibited by Galleri Ping-Pong in Malmö the same year.
human behavior

Human Behavior / A Disarmed National Geographic Collection Becomes a Being

Stack National Geographics, some fabric and easily forgotten objects on a small table and crochet a yellow net structure with tentacles around it all to keep things restricted and safe.
Human Behavior was completed 2021 for the retrospective exhibition Ur djupet / From the Depth at Marabouparken Konsthall.
LARGE HANDICRAFT PIECE

Large Handicraft Piece / Possibly Without End

Use any yarn you can find. Crochet and knit. Work in front of an audience. Sit on the textile landscape while expanding it.
Initiated 1997, and in theory ongoing forever. Property of Malmö Art Museum. Photo: Jean-Babtiste Béranger.
NONSENSE TRANSLATION

Nonsense Translation / ZARYA A-i-R

Collect refuse and unwanted vintage clothes in Vladivostok guided by a new friend. Purchase rope, yarn, string, tape, cling wrap and other things. Use all of this during a hailstorm day, after a long night with lovers.
Performed at ZARYA Center for Contemporary Art in Vladivostok 2018. Photos by Vadim Martynenko.
NUGGETS OF NATURE

Nuggets of Nature / Spiraling on Grass with Materials

Collect things, trash, clothes, strings, yarn, packing material et cetera. Keep long and narrow objects, to prod with and to use as skeleton, close at hand. Build body around skeleton. But let material pass through the hanky net-costume you are wearing as well. Costume and body should sometimes slide together. Tie balls of scrap. Observe tension between outer body, cocoon-costume and the inner body via string, yarn or rope. Take advantage of skeleton-steadiness. Rotate, let things happen spirally. Let the inner body be unfamiliar to you, and try to act with all parts as independent as you can, despite that the net-costume-cover holds together and wants to unify. Leave space for improvisation and non prepared material. Be a moveable but slow multi-body-work for many hours. Leave behind a finished cultural object, if possible. Otherwise an unfinished one.
Performed at Marabouparken Konsthall in Stockholm/Sundbyberg 2021. Photos By Grzegorz Fitał.
POLYPS AND PEOPLE

Polyps and People / Hanging Creatures for Practical Purposes

Crochet doll parts, organs and beings from another plane of existence. Stuff them. Crochet hanging devices for them. Crochet cover for clothes rack. Crochet all as one, preferably while singing. Use during ceremonies and other fun events.
Crocheted 2021. Photo: Grzegorz Fitał.
Rope Cottage Hockey

Rope Cottage Hockey / Persbo Studio Sculpture Park

Add large amounts of polyurethane rope to a hockey goal and install the result in a forest. Watch plants and animals claim the sculpture.
Completed and installed 2018. Photos by Fredrik Strid.
Three Lovers

Three Lovers / A Fetus of a Different Species

Gather things. Handle garbage respectfully. Take care of your dead sister's stash of yarn and handicraft tools. Crochet a yellow dress. Perform a ritual to summon suitors and the dead, but avoid completion. Emortui requiescant.
Photos by Grzegorz Fitał. Event at Galleri 54 in Gothenburg 2020.

Curriculum Vitae

Updated 2023-11-08

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

UPCOMING: Termiternas liv: Slutet (The Life of Termites: The End), Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden) 2024

UPCOMING: Termiternas liv: Början (The Life of Termites: The Beginning), Galleri Thomas Wallner, Simrishamn (Sweden) 2023

UPCOMING: Second Cut-Up Bug Harvesting, Diö Konsthall, Diö (Sweden) 2024

Curse or Spell, Galleri Ping-Pong, Malmö (Sweden) 2022

Ur djupet (From the Depth), retrospective at Marabouparken Konsthall, Stockholm/Sundbyberg (Sweden) 2021

Perilous Party, Inkonst, Malmö (Sweden) 2021

A Fetus of a Different Species, Galleri 54, Göteborg (Sweden) 2020

Secular Magic, Gnosjö bibliotek & kultur, Gnosjö (Sweden) 2019

Holy Helpers, Galleri Ping-Pong, Malmö (Sweden) 2019

Cardio Cage, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Simris (Sweden) 2018-2019

Party Condolences, Galleri Format Oslo (Norway) 2018

Friend of OLTA / Friend of Hekate, Leif Holmstrand at Stefan Karlssons Museum för dålig konst, Gothenburg (Sweden) 2017

Acquiring Bodies, Krognoshuset, Lund (Sweden) 2017

Bugchaser Party, Galleri Ping-Pong, Malmö (Sweden) 2016

Sketches for a Bugchaser Party, Konstfrämjandet Skåne, Malmö (Sweden) 2016

Asami Kannon Antiklimax, Inter Arts Center, Malmö (Sweden) 2015

130301, Konstfrämjandet / S:t Gertrud, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

Dagens välfärd (Wellfare Today), Inkonst, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

Voyagers at Masquerade, House of Foundation, Moss (Norway) 2013

Headquarters, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Simris (Sweden) 2012

Leif Holmstrand, Lars Olsen Gallery, Copenhagen (Denmark) 2012

Inside Lord Kill, Galleri Ping-Pong, Malmö (Sweden) 2012

Lady Lazarus and Friends, Martin Bryder Gallery, Lund (Sweden) 2012

Lord of the Castle Itch Yes, Crystal Contemporary Art, Stockholm (Sweden) 2011

Territorial Clothing, Galleri Syster, Luleå (Sweden) 2010

What the Others Knew, Johan Berggren Gallery, Malmö (Sweden) 2009

Leif Holmstrand, Växjö konsthall, Växjö (Sweden) 2009

Pim & Pom, Galleri 21, Malmö (Sweden) 2008

Leif Holmstrand, Cirkulationscentralen, Malmö (Sweden) 2006

Leif Holmstrand, Ystads Konstmuseum, Ystad (Sweden) 2004

Hennes kläder, släktingar, filmer, troféer med mera (Her Clothes, Relatives, Films, Trophies Et Cetera), Galleri 21, Malmö (Sweden) 2004

In Memoriam, Galleri Mors Mössa, Gothenburg (Sweden) 2003

När jag var en liten flicka (When I Was a Little Girl), Peep, Malmö (Sweden) 2002

Patrull Vargen (The Wolf Patrol), Galleri Pictura, Lund (Sweden) 1998

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

UPCOMING: OFF Biennale Cairo: Something Else 3, The Citadel, Cairo (Egypt) 2023

Happily Ever After, Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö (Sweden) 2023

Bodymakers, with Linnea Norén, Frida Rådlund and Leif Holmstrand, Galleri Verkligheten, Umeå (Sweden) 2023

Staying alive (Live Reality Show), Ida idaidas atelje, Stockholm (Sweden) 2023

Bie Biennal III: Det våta språket (The Wet Language), Katrineholm (Sweden) 2022

Subterraenean, Amos Rex, Helsinki (Finland) 2022

(in)visible, Queer Perspectives, Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö (sweden) 2021

Transformation, with Leif Holmstrand, Sofia von Schwerin och Max Walter Svanberg, CG Gallery, Malmö (Sweden) 2021

En sista kvartett (A Last Quartet), with Anders Widoff, Tova Mozard, Isak Sundström and Leif Holmstrand, Sotheby’s Stockholm (Sweden) 2021

Do You Like Me Now?, Maison de la mer, Malmö (Sweden) 2020

Aleph, Martin Bryder Gallery, Lund (Sweden) 2019

In Residence: From the Collection of Zarya Center for Contemporary Art, Vladivostok (Russia) 2019 

One Northeast, Zarya Center for Contemporary Art, Vladivostok (Russia) 2018

Allt som finns kvar är vi (All that Remains is Us), Ella Tillema, Ingrid Furre & Leif Holmstrand, Konsthallen på Parkgatan, Malmö (Sweden) 2017

Avesta Art 2017, Verket / Avesta Art (Sweden) 2017

Kriget med mig själv (The War on Myself), Malmö konstmuseum, 2017

Textila Undertexter (Textile Subtext), Marabouparken konsthall, Stockholm (Sweden) 2016 and at Malmö Konstmuseum / Malmö Art Museum 2017

Translation Theme Park 2, Ayumi Gallery (Cave), Tokyo (Japan) 2017

EMAP 2016: Save Our Souls – Art for a Time of Urgencies, 9th Ewha international Media Art Presentation, Ewha Womans University Campus/Seodaemun District, Seoul (South Korea) 2016

Autumn Group Exhibition, with Kristina Abelli Elander, Moki Cherry, Ditte Ejlerskov, Leif Holmstrand and Hanna Sjöstrand, Galleri Ping-Pong, Malmö (Sweden) 2015

Leif and Helene, double exhibition, works shown side by side with works by Helene Billgren, Gerlesborgs Konsthall (Sweden) 2015

Warning, Sensitive People (Varning för känsliga människor), Varbergs Konsthall, Varberg (Sweden) 2014

Rebellion and Unrest, together with Sofie Arfwidson, Anders Romare och Nichlas Winmalm at Örebro Konsthall and Norrtälje Konsthall (Sweden) 2014

Malmö Konstmuseum@Malmö Konsthall, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

The Beginning is Always Today: Scandinavian Feminist Art, Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand (Norway) 2013

In the Kingdom of Harplinge, Harp Art Lab, Harplinge (Sweden) 2013

Freakshow, outdoor exhibition initiated by the organization Underliv, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

24 Spaces, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

Xerox, Makeriet, Malmö (Sweden) 2013

Sammen/Together, Trondheim Kunstmuseum, Trondheim (Norway) 2012

The Moderna Exhibition 2010, Moderna Museet, Stockholm (Sweden) 2010

Domestic Affairs, 1A Space, Hong Kong (China) 2009

Helsingborg Malmö, Dunkers kulturhus, Helsingborg (Sweden) 2009

Every Body Counts, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Vestfossen (Norway) 2008

Mot tiden (Against Time), Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm (Sweden) 2007

Translation, Babel, Trondheim (Norway) 2007

Trigg (Trigger), Gävle Konstcentrum, Gävle (Sweden) 2007

Malm2, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden) 2006

Sydkraft, Galleri Loop, Berlin (Germany) 2005

Beskrivningar (Descriptions), IASPIS, Stockholm (Sweden) 2004

 

HAPPENINGS / PERFORMANCES

UPCOMING: Still Untitled, cooperation with the Tokyo-based artist collective OLTA, Tokyo (Japan) 2024

UPCOMING: Insect Society, around Simris Kyrkby, Simrishamn (Sweden) 2024

Asami Kannon Whore is Returning the Gift, during the exhibition Bodymakers, Galleri Verkligheten, Umeå (Sweden) 2023

Nuggets of Nature, Marabouparken Konsthall, Stockholm/Sundbyberg (Sweden) 2021

Sunday Morning Cranium Anus, Malmöhus Castle, Riddarsalen, Malmö (Sweden) 2020

Three Lovers, Galleri 54, Göteborg (Sweden) 2020

Shoot! happening and film recording at Panora, Malmö (Sweden) 2019

Going Like Elsie, small happening and ceremony in Kiyosumi-teien ryotei, Tokyo (Japan) 2019

Nonsense Translation, Zarya Center for Contemporary Art, Vladivostok (Russia) 2018

Asami Kannon / Whore, during Revolve Performance Art Days at Uppsala konstmuseum / Uppsala Art Museum (Sweden) 2017

Untitled, instructions performed irl by Karen Eide Bøen with the artist through mobile telephone in loudspeakers during Audiatur 2016 in Bergen (Norge) 2016

Fake Bones, cooperation with the Japanese artist collective OLTA at Lilith Performance Studio, Malmö (Sweden) 2015

Performance collaboration with Ia Neumüller during the For the Record-project at Galleri Krets in Malmö (arranged by Plan B and Galleri Krets) (Sweden) 2014

Futurological Congress, sculptural installation, garbage act, speech, song, text, video and sound at Malmö University during the conference Framtidens konstförening at Malmö University, 2013

Building a Better Body, during Re-Lay (a performance event initiated by Claudia Del Fierro), Inkonst, Malmö (Sweden) 2013.

This is True to Life, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen (Denmark) 2011

Making Up Stories, Byrån at Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden) 2011

Wearing the Territorial (Down), Baltic Circle and Q-Teatteri (Puoli-Q), Helsinki (Finland) 2010

Territorial Clothing Cage Intermission, ID:I Gallery, Stockholm (Sweden) 2010

Little Albert, co-operation with Oscar Hielm, Per Lindberg and Oskar Lindwall, Lilith Performance Studio, Malmö (Sweden) 2009

Portrait of the Moon, instruction piece for event organized by Arts Initiative Tokyo (Japan) 2009

Housework, Kunstbanken i Hamar, Hamar (Norway) 2009

Cabaret Sally Rattenmann, Lilith Performance Studio, Malmö (Sweden) 2008

Sally Rattenmann, Rosemary’s Baby and a Couple of Songs, PS122 Gallery, New York (USA) 2007

Sally Rattenmann, Rosemary’s Baby and a Couple of Songs, AIT Room, Tokyo (Japan) 2005

Sally Rattenman hänger/hänger sig (Sally Rattenmann Devotes/Hangs herself), Wuthering Heights, Malmö (Sweden) 2004

Översättningsövning (Translation Exercise), performed by Ewa Einhorn during Electric Weekend, Klubb Jeriko, Malmö (Sweden) 2003

Berlin Magic Model Project – Prostitution and Other Activities, three months in Mitte and Nollendorff Platz areas in Berlin (Germany) 1999

 

BOOKS

UPCOMING: Community, poetry, lyrical drama, prose poetry, pa-parant publishing house 2024

Kartritartornet, novel, Pequod Press 2023

Inte världen, poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2022

Intersect, poetry booklet, Pamflett Förlag 2022

Svalget (The Chasm), co-operation with Jonas Örtemark, experimental text or novel, Rojal Förlag 2021

Den fornegyptiska familjesolen (The Family Sun of Ancient Egypt), poetry, Pequod Press 2021

De Profundis or From Above, art catalog, artist's book, with preface by Björn Fritz, English, SLEM produktion 2020

Herrarna och djuren (The Lords and the Beasts), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2020

Platsen där bilarna köar döda (Where Dead Cars Wait in Line), collaboration with Leo A. Sörlin, poetry and photo, S.L.E.M. PRODUKTION or SLEM 2019

Queerhandbok för konstnärer (Queer Manual for Artists), essay book or manual, Konstitutet 2019

Cephalopods, small chapbook or artist’s book with cutouts from a large digital drawing, Timglaset Editions 2019

Kreatur och tusenskönor (Critters and Daisies), free downloadable pdf-book, Fame Factory 2019

ACAB!, small experimental e-book circling around Ryan Trecartin’s video piece Center Jenny, violent sexual encounters and a private literature canon, Modernista 2018

Albùm, selected poems translated to Spanish by Petronella Zetterlund, Carlos Maldonado (Mexico), two editions, 2018

Instruktioner (Instructions), instruction art pieces or art recipes, Förlaget Anti 2018

Avstå från tragedierna (Refrain From Tragedies), poetry, Trombone 2017

Förkylningen (The Cold), novel, Pequod Press 2017

Recept (Recipe), poetry, Chateaux 2017

Sista dagen (The Last Day), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2016

Community, first version, poetry, prose, drama and experimental text, Holmstrand Böcker 2015

Ett rum på tredje våningen (A Room On the Third Floor), co-operation with Bo Cavefors, poetry and images, Holmstrand Böcker 2015

Städer som inte är städer (Cities That Are Not Cities), novel, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2015

Ett flygande massbröllop (A Flying Mass Wedding), poetry, Holmstrand Böcker 2014

Afrikaneserna (The Africanese (sic)), autobiographical material, essays on film and art et cetera, Pequod Press 2014

Sjuttioåtta uppslag till sf-romaner hämtade ur Linus Andersens anteckningsbok (Seventy-eight Ideas for SF Novels from Linus Andersen’s Notebook), co-operation with Pär Thörn, short prose, Chateaux 2014, extended version published by Storno förlag 2020

Asami Kannon: avfallet (Asami Kannon: The Waste), poetry, prose, drama, H//o//F (House of Foundation) 2014

Asami Kannon Song, artist’s book, English, Holmstrand Böcker 2014

Drömmare (Dreamers), activity book, co-operation with Malmö Konsthall, published by Malmö Konsthall 2013

Tjuvklyftan (The Thief's Cleft), novel, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2013

Domningskanten (The Edge of Numbness), poetry, experimental text and short stories, Pequod Press 2012

Väggmembranet (The Wall Membrane), artist’s book, experimental text/images, 2011

Darger reviderad (Darger Revised), co-operation with Jonas Örtemark, Drucksache 2011

Catalogue Katalog, a catalog roughly covering Leif Holmstrand’s art production 1997-2010 with added visual poems by the artist/author and an essay by Kristofer Folkhammar, 2011

Whore, experimental one word novel or five hundred art objects, 2011

Vad de andra visste (What the Others Knew), under the pseudonym Anna-Maria Ytterbom, poetry and prose, Oei editör 2010

Symposium, artist’s book, experimental text in Finnish, English and Swedish, 2010

Se mig hoppa över (Watch Me Skip), prose/short stories, Pequod Press 2010

Dödens ö / Ganymedes och Hebe (The Island of Death / Ganymede and Hebe), co-operation with Bo Cavefors, drama, 2010

Vid mardrömmens mål (At the Goal of the Nightmare), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2010

Hennes titellösa februari lägger vikt vid saker (Her Untitled February Puts Emphasis on Things), under the pseudonym Anna-Maria Ytterbom, poetry, Oei editör 2008

Myror (Ants), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2008

En film om Firman och Hannas vad / Stillbilder etc. (A Film About The Firm and the Calf/Bet of Hanna / Stills etc.), under the pseudonym Anna-Maria Ytterbom, poetry, Oei editör 2006

Går vidare i världen (Movin On Through the World), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2005

Stekelgång (Hymenopteran Path), poetry, Albert Bonniers Förlag 2002

 

RECORDS/SOUND/MUSIC

Born Without Hands, release by music collective / group, members: Samuel A.D. Martin, Maja Darkest Karlsson, Leif Holmstrand, available on Apple Music / iTunes, Spotify et cetera, 2022

PUUP MUSIC (The First Fifteen Years), available on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify et cetera, 2020

The Second Purpose / The Purpose / Little Water Child / Helsinki, Bandcamp releases 2013-2014

Getting Rid of Me, double cassette (30:00, 2x15 minutes), Zeon Light 2012

Little Water Child, CD, 30:15, 2011

 

CURATORIAL WORK

Majd Abdel Hamid and Oscar Guermouche, duet exhibition at Krognoshuset in Lund (Sweden), co-curated with Isac Nordgren, 2016

Translation Theme Park (Japanese Contemporary Art), an exhibition with Chim↑Pom, Cobra Goodnight, Fumiko Kobayashi, OLTA, Pyuupiru, Sachiko Kazama, Sakiko Yamaoka, Yoko Asakai and Yuki Okumura; the exhibition venues were Galleri 21 and Galleri Ping-Pong in Malmö, and then Uppsala Art Museum (Sweden), 2014-2015

Games And Regulations, three exhibitions at Galleri Vita Kuben, Norrlandsoperan, Umeå during spring 2013, with the artists Jenny Grönvall (Sweden), Line Skywalker Karlström (Sweden), Ia Neumüller (Sweden), Majd Abdel Hamid (Palestine) and Yuki Okumura (Japan)

 

REPRESENTED AT

Museum of Modern Art Stockholm / Moderna Museet Stockholm (Sweden)

Zarya Center for Contemporary Art, Vladivostok (Russia)

Public Art Agency Sweden / Statens konstråd (Sweden)

Malmö Art Museum (Sweden)

Ystad Art Museum (Sweden)

Dalslands konstmuseum (Sweden)

 

SELECTED SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES

Gunnar Ekelöf-priset (The Gunnar Ekelöf award) 2021

The Barbro Bäckström Award 2020

Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Asmund and Lizzie Arle’s prize 2020

Mare Kandre-priset (in memory of the Swedish author Mare Kandre) 2018

Svenska akademien / Stina och Erik Lundbergs stiftelse 2017

Ten-year grant from Konstnärsnämnden (The Swedish Arts Grants Committee) 2013

Kallebergerstipendiet from The Swedish Academy 2008

Edstrandska Stiftelsen (The Edstrand Foundation) 2006

IASPIS and AIT Tokyo Residency and scholarship 2005

 

EDUCATION

Critical Studies, Malmö Art Academy 2002-2003

Malmö Art Academy 1997-2002

Norrköping Art School 1995-1997

Literature, three semesters at the universities of Stockholm and Gothenburg 1994-1995

 

contact

Leif Holmstrand

Scheelegatan 2a

212 28 Malmö

Sweden

leif.o.holmstrand [a] gmail.com