In Everything Represents – Nothing Is. Ingmar Bergman and Art, Ingmar Bergman offers his opinions on the visual arts and the work of the artist. Since little has been published on the subject of Bergman’s views and body of work, the book offers new insights into his legacy. He always insisted that he was not interested in the visual arts, especially not contemporary art. Yet, both art and artists are frequently present in his films. He keeps returning to, and appears to be struggling with, the question of the nature of art and its role in society.
Regardless of Ingmar Bergman’s own opinions, he has had a major influence on a number of artists. The book mentions, for example, works by Joseph Beuys and Ylva Snöfrid that are based on Bergman’s films and theatre productions, and Ragnar Kjartansson writes about his relationship with the director and his Scenes from a Marriage.
Everything Represents – Nothing Is. Ingmar Bergman and Art includes essays by Eva Asp, Ingmar Bergman, Jan Holmberg, Kristine Kern, Ragnar Kjartansson, Björn Norberg, Egil Törnqvist and Göran Wassberg. Included artworks are by Joseph Beuys, Maria Finn, Axel Fridell, Ragnar Kjartansson, Hanna Ljungh, P.A. Lundgren, Magdalena von Rudy and Ylva Snöfrid.
Eva Asp is the director of Gävle Konstcentrum. With an MA in Art History and experience working as an independent curator and writer, she has previously been a curator at Dalarna Museum, head curator at Sven-Harry’s Art Museum in Stockholm, and director of Timrå Konsthall.
Björn Norberg is the curator of public art at the Gävle Konstcentrum. He has previously worked at Bonniers Konsthall, Mejan Labs and
Dome of Visions in Stockholm. He has curated a variety of exhibitions, including at Kiasma in Helsinki, Finland, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde, Denmark, Färgfabriken, the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, and Moderna Museet, all in Stockholm. He has written for and contributed to a number of books, and is a member of the board of the Filmform Foundation.
