On Women, Then and Now
A conversation with Helén Svensson, Hanna Johansson & Ashik Zaman
Tuesday, February 4, 6 pm
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that bridges past and present, focusing on women in contemporary art. This roundtable conversation, held before a live audience, brings together artist Helén Svensson, art critic and editor Hanna Johansson (Svenska Dagbladet), and Kvinnorna exhibition curator Ashik Zaman. Rather than providing definitive answers, the discussion aims to spark questions: How do we perceive artistic creation? How is art history written? What changes over time, and what remains unchanged—and why?
The exhibition Kvinnorna places three women from art history in the spotlight: Judy Chicago, Louise Nevelson, and Carmen Herrera—trailblazing artists who were, in different ways, both forgotten and rediscovered. Their stories serve as a foundation for the conversation.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Hanna Johansson is a writer, critic, and art editor for Svenska Dagbladet (SvD). She made her debut in 2020 with Antiken (Norstedts), which was awarded the Katapult Prize and has been translated into several languages. Her latest novel, Body Double, will be released in February.
Helén Svensson is a Swedish visual artist who lives and works in Stockholm. She holds an MFA from the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm. Svensson primarily works with images, objects, and installations that engage with the small, simple movements of the everyday—the seemingly meaningless. Rather than focusing on subject matter or narrative, her work is grounded in method, material, and logic. Using material simplicity, repetition, and deliberate mistakes, she operates within self-imposed rules where unpredictability and control coexist. (Photo: Anna Drvnik)
Ashik Zaman is the founder of C-print, an online magazine and nomadic art platform, which he runs with his twin brother Koshik Zaman. He serves as the artistic director of SKF/Konstnärshuset in Stockholm, is a board member of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, and chairs the Center for Photography. Kvinnorna marks his third exhibition collaboration with Helén Svensson. (Photo: Zac Whittenburg)
