Lydia Kellam - April 14 2020
ART AT HOME: A Conversation With Jesper Dahl
To kick off our interview series all about curating art for your home, we consulted with our friend Jesper Dahl, a curator, data strategist, and art writer. Here, he shares the stories behind the art on his walls, his most recent discoveries, and his best styling tips.
- What role does art play in your home?
The art in my home is archival. I’ve realized that the more I get, buy, and hang, the less it matters if it is cohesive. I refuse to buy art for the sake of matching furniture, interior design or “completing a look.” The art in my home reflects where I’ve been, what I have had access to buying, who I’ve met, which artists I have worked with or the artworks I’ve been given. I read the art on my walls almost as diary-entries.
- Tell me about an important work in your home. What's the story behind it? Why is it important to you? Where did you buy it?
I am sitting in front of two collaborative pieces by photographer Angelina Bergenwall and poet/writer My Roman Fagerlind, two multi-award-winning artists I had the pleasure to work with some time back. Their show “Sovande Bilder” was an honor to be a part of, and it is important to me because the body of work that we exhibited was so strong.
- What's your advice for curating art at home?
Buy what you can, buy from friends, buy from students and galleries. Hang as much as you can, rehang. Lend art to friends. Think of art as anecdotes—are these stories you want to tell? Because that’s what is going to happen. Don’t buy posters. Buy limited editions, if that is what you can afford. Go to student shows. Go to galleries. Artists and galleries deserve our support. Galleries work long-term with their artists to secure their creative future. It’s important work and the least we can do is show up.
- How have social media and the internet impacted the way you discover new artists?
Social media is a great way to discover artists, especially through the network effect. You find one artist that you like, and then you follow them and see what other artists and galleries they interact with. It helps in understanding art and culture as a moment of captured time. I make sure to follow galleries and institutions as well so that I can stay informed about what new shows there are!
- Which artists have inspired you lately and why?
There are so many great artists to be inspired by. I am currently excited about Ylva Carlgren, Nadine Byrne, Linnéa Gad, Emma Bjurström and Lap-See Lam. There is no lack of talent here in Stockholm.
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To learn more about Jesper Dahl check out:
IG: dahljesper
Work: www.ografy.com
Written by Lydia Kellam for Works by Friends
