Good Art XVIII

Crafoord Auktioner Stockholm presents the themed auction God Konst XVIII, in which this month's selection of interesting artists and works is brought to the fore. These deserve to be part of a context and, it is hoped, to grace many walls.
We now champion the cause of art and present over 200 works by artists such as: Man Ray, Jockum Nordström, Madeleine Pyk, Aly Ben Salem, Emile Zoir, Georg Pauli, Henri Michaux, Roberto Matta, Erik Olson, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Curt Clemens, Garibaldi Lindberg, Fontana, Harry Boström, Salvador Dalí, Torsten Palm, Arman, Ernst Billgren, Günther Uecker and others.
Among the highlights is an interesting collection of lithographic posters from the 1950s–70s, including works by Picasso, Fontana, Joan Miró and Braque. A smaller theme within the theme is also presented, featuring 7 works by the Belgian artist Henri Michaux (1899–1984).
Further gems include Gustaf Adolf Tenggren's ink wash drawing dated 1917, Emile Zoir's and Einar Forseth's studies of women, and Wilhelm Gernandt's coastal scene from Skåne, 1895.
The name God Konst has been used in other contexts before. In 1941, the exhibition "GOD KONST I ALLA HEM" – Good Art in Every Home – opened under the auspices of HSB. The ambition of the exhibition was to promote good art in the home. The catalogue's foreword notes that it is not enough to build good housing – art must also be given its place. The guiding principle was to offer good art to a broader public at affordable prices. To ensure that the art was truly "good", a jury of well-known artists and art critics was engaged to review the works to be exhibited. As a result, it was possible, for example, to purchase GAN's oil painting Berns 1918 for 5,000 kronor, the tempera Ratten for 350 kronor and Laboratorium for 500 kronor. Other names involved in the project of art for the people included Oskar Bergman, Einar Jolin, Arne Jones, Isaac Grünewald, Sixten Lundbohm, Erik and Axel Olson. The exhibition's tenth anniversary was shown at Liljevalchs konsthall in Stockholm.
That same year, 1941, Gunnar Hjorthén (1913–1997) opened Galleri God Konst on Vallgatan in Gothenburg. He came to be regarded as something of an institution in Gothenburg's art life. The gallery subsequently moved to various locations, including Drottninggatan, Konserthuset and Södra vägen. Hjorthén dedicated himself to promoting and championing "young art", with artists such as Ivan Ivarson, Karin Parrow, Ragnar Sandberg and Inge Schiöler. In large part thanks to Hjorthén and Galleri God Konst, the Gothenburg Colourists became a recognised movement. Like Svensk-Franska konstgalleriet, Hjorthén sought out Paris early on and through the gallery facilitated contact with the new painting. In 1953, for example, Tsugoharu Foujita was exhibited.
Come in for a viewing and let yourself be inspired. Auction: 28 May. Viewing: Crafoord Auktioner, Galoppvägen 3, Täby. Monday–Friday 1–5 pm, Saturday 11 am–2 pm.