Formstad's Selected

In every home there are objects that carry a particular presence. Things that do not merely occupy a place but give it character. The theme Selected brings together works and objects that in different ways bear traces of time, ideas, and form. Here, art, design, and craftsmanship meet in a selection that moves between eras and expressions — from the decorative arts of the 18th century to the formal language of modernism and contemporary artistic interpretations.
Among the highlights is Olle Olsson Hagalund’s gouache Girl with Sunflowers, where the artist’s characteristic figuration unites everyday motifs with expressive painting. The auction also includes paintings by artists such as Pelle Åberg, Peter Dahl, and George Knight, where landscapes and figures are depicted through differing temperaments and traditions. The historical breadth is also evident in older portraits and marine paintings, ranging from the academic tradition of the 19th century to more personal and modern pictorial expressions.
Design and furniture form a central part of the theme. Here are examples of Nordic modernism in works by Bruno Mathsson, whose drop-leaf table Maria Flap demonstrates the light construction and functional elegance that have become his hallmark. In the same spirit we encounter designers such as Carl Malmsten and Arne Hovmand-Olsen, where the precision of craftsmanship is combined with a modern sense of form. International design history is also represented by Poul Henningsen’s pendant Kotten / Artichoke, one of the most recognizable lighting objects of the 20th century.
Lighting and glass form another rich part of the auction. Works by Josef Frank, Erik Tidstrand, and Edward Hald demonstrate how light and material can interact in both functional and poetic forms. In the glass section we also encounter Kaj Franck, Wilhelm Kåge, and Ingeborg Lundin, where Scandinavian glass design appears in everything from strict modernist lines to more decorative expressions. In the contemporary section we also find Mårten Medbo’s sculptural vase Crowd, where ceramics are transformed into an almost organic object, showing how traditional materials can be given a new and experimental expression.
The selection also includes objects where craftsmanship and history meet. Here we find 18th-century silver, the restrained elegance of Gustavian furniture, and Chinese porcelain from the Qing dynasty. At the same time, more unexpected elements open new perspectives, such as an early Louis Vuitton travel trunk, alongside contemporary design and sculpture in which traditional materials are given new expressions.
Together, the objects in Selected form a tapestry of eras, techniques, and aesthetic ideas. Each object carries its own history, yet in the meeting between them new relationships also emerge between art, design, and use.
With that said — welcome to a new installation of Selected.