Cecilia Edefalk is one of Sweden’s most internationally acclaimed contemporary artists. Born in Norrköping in 1954, she later studied at Konstfack and the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm. She made her debut with a solo exhibition at Galleri Wallner in Malmö in 1988, but her public breakthrough came in 1990 with the legendary exhibition En annan rörelse (Another Movement) at Galleri Sten Eriksson in Stockholm.
Double White Venus, clubbed for 13 254 GBP at Stockholms Auktionsverk.
Artistic Practice and Themes
Edefalk is known for her series-based paintings, where she revisits and reinterprets the same motif across multiple canvases, exploring how repetition and subtle variation can alter meaning and perception. Her use of repetition and the “picture within a picture” technique—where representation and figuration act as catalysts for consciousness—creates a unique spatial sense in her paintings. Her work incorporates photography, text and installation, yet always returns to the act of painting. Edefalk’s work often examines the gaze itself, the relationship between viewer and viewed, and the boundaries between reality and representation. Her paintings often explore identity, time and repetition, with haunting imagery and subtle layers of meaning.
“Meadow”, silver gelatin.
Global Recognition
Edefalk has exhibited at Documenta, the Venice Biennale and MoMA. She remains a powerful voice in Nordic art, blending spiritual depth with conceptual clarity. Her works are held in major collections such as Moderna Museet, the Art Institute of Chicago and Göteborgs Konstmuseum.