Swedish Life in the Twin Cities
Third Floor/Ballroom

The history of the Swedish-American community in Minneapolis and St. Paul comes to life in this exhibit. Personal diary and journal entries, objects brought from Sweden, family photos, maps and artifacts from the American Swedish Institute collection, as well as vintage sound recordings and video segments tell the day-to-day story of what life was like for Swedish immigrants in the Twin Cities.

“Swedish Life in the Twin Cities” examines why the immigrants left Sweden and traces their journey to Minnesota. It follows them as they settle in Swedish-American neighborhoods, including Payne Avenue and Swede Hollow, and considers what life was like for a typical immigrant family at home. The exhibit also features an early account of the area by Swedish journalist Fredrika Bremer, the story of Jacob Fahlstrom, who is thought to be the first Swede in Minnesota, and the history of Swan Turnblad, who founded the American Swedish Institute in 1929. In addition, “Swedish Life in the Twin Cities” includes a display on Swedish-American theater, featuring the vaudeville performers of the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis known as “Snoose Boulevard.” The exhibition also looks at ongoing craft traditions and the nostalgia for the homeland felt by many immigrants.

“Swedish Life in the Twin Cities” is the Donald E. Benson and David E. and Mary Jo Monson Exhibition on the Swedish Presence in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

“Together in the Darkness:
The Rock & Roll Music Culture in Sweden”
June 29th – August 3rd, 2008

Photographs by Stefan Peterson will be on display this summer in ASI’s lower level gallery. Peterson’s black and white photographs highlight the contemporary Swedish rock music scene. The exhibit will open on Sunday, June 29th with an artist’s talk at 3 p.m. in the Turnblad Room.

Originally from Ann Arbor, MI, Stefan Peterson developed an early interest in photography and worked as a photographer for the Eastern Michigan University student newspaper. Interested in his Swedish heritage, Peterson visited ASI several times while living in Minnesota. Impressed by Sweden’s support of the arts, he applied successfully for the 2006 Lilly Lorénzen scholarship, which enabled his study of photography at Sigtuna Folkhögskola, north of Stockholm. There his work centered on documenting the Swedish rock band scene.

Peterson has published photos of Swedish cityscapes, architecture and musical groups. He has also published his own book of live music photography and been a staff photographer for numerous rock music publications.

Fit for a Queen:
The Nobel Gowns of H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden
June 11th - September 28th, 2008

The American Swedish Institute presents “Fit for a Queen: Nobel Gowns of H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden,” an exquisite exhibit of gowns worn to the annual Nobel Prize festivities by Silvia Sommerlath since becoming Queen of Sweden in 1976.  The castle-like 1908 Turnblad mansion, home to the American Swedish Institute, is the setting for this exhibit of royal gowns, on display June 11th - September 28th, 2008.

On loan from The Royal Collections of Sweden, eighteen of Queen Silvia’s Nobel gowns, 1976 to 2006, will be featured.  The gowns were all commissioned for the queen, who worked closely on the design of each with the prominent designers who created them.  Among these designers are well-known names such as Christian Dior (Paris), Nina Ricci (Paris), Jørgen Bender (Copenhagen) and Yuki (London).

Sweden’s royal couple takes a prominent place at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet, held every year on December 10. King Carl XVI Gustaf presents medals and diplomas to the winners of the prestigious Nobel prizes in Literature, Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology or Medicine, as well as the Prize in Economics. What follows is a spectacular formal banquet for 1,300 people at Stockholm’s City Hall, at which Sweden’s royal family are honored guests.

Born in Germany, Silvia met Crown Prince Carl Gustaf at the 1972 Olympics and became Queen of Sweden when they married in 1976.  Queen Silvia works actively for many causes, including children and the disabled. Among her many initiatives is the World Childhood Foundation, which she founded in 1999.

Wooden Gears and Swedish Gadgets
August 6th - September 28th, 2008

The work of master Swedish carver Per Heldorff will be featured the exhibit, “Wooden Gears and Swedish Gadgets,” from August 6th through September 28th.

Heldorff began carving in the Swedish slöjd tradition (a simple style emphasizing technical skill) and progressed to more complex works featuring moving cogs and figures. His work often contains a whimsical element- a wooden banana opens to reveal a hidden compartment, an arm moves a toothbrush over a set of teeth- which, along with his technical mastery and practical engineering ideas, gives his work a unique and intriguing style.