After 10 years at Saltskog Gård, Wihlborg moved to a larger studio in the Weda area in Södertälje to get more space for her large projects. Ljunggren remained at Saltskog Gård until his death in 2008. Gunilla Wihlborg was also the curator, and made the selection for the previous exhibition Long live paintings! from the year 2000, where Swedish painting from the mid-50s onwards was shown from a private collection. Prior to the exhibition in 2017, Wihlborg selected from Ljunggren’s extensive production and hung the exhibition, also a selection from the same private collection. For the room, a number of square pillars were made at different heights, around these were placed Ljunggren’s smaller paintings. The result was light and space, but also a good grip, given the color intensity and mobility in Ljunggren’s image-building painting. In the exhibition, she also presented herself through the project Beyond, Beyond… Muybridge 2016 part three in an exhibition series in memory of a great four-legged friend. With a focus on the importance of the horse through time and as a mythical creature. The unicorn, the winged devil’s horse. Muybridge was referring to an English still photographer (1830-1904) who was interested in the movement scheme of humans and animals. Best known for his photographs of a galloping horse from 1878. A kind of precursor to the animation. A little discreetly, she chose to place her works at the far end of the room in special rooms, where you could take part in the project as well as documentation, installations, sculptures and decorations. She generously shared her books, which visitors were allowed to take home.

The two Södertälje artists were previously represented as exhibitors at Södertälje konsthall, among other things with traveling exhibitions. Ljunggren’s retrospective exhibition starting in Södertälje in 1991 went on to Sundsvalls Museum, Gothenburg Art Museum and Gotland Art Museum in 1992. Wihlborgs exhibition (N) evergreen 1998 went on from Södertälje to Östergötland County Museum, The culture house, Luleå 1999 and Dalarna Museum in 2000.

Source: catalog: Martin Ljunggren and Gunilla Wihlborg meet again, ed. Kristina Möller.
Compiled by Anneli Karlsson.