RIGHT NOW
IN PRASE OF THE UNNECESSARY
Our theme 2026-2027: IN PRAISE OF THE UNNECESSARY
When the word Unnecessity was spoken aloud, a liberated laughter erupted in the room.
Such laughter that is unifying and means YES.
With the theme In Praise of the Unnecessary, we want to draw attention to contemporary art.
And contemporary art will be given the space to freely express itself with us.
We will offer time and space for artists in the contemporary field to freely work with what is relevant to them right now.
In our space, whether it physically manifests itself at Galleri Syster’s address, or somewhere else, artistic freedom will be strengthened with trust in the artists we work with and their processes.
In In Praise of the Unnecessary, we do not demand specific reciprocal performances.
The artists will create their situations in our space with our support. The dialogue between the artists and Syster should not be based on the finished result, but on the free artistic process, where we together draw different project maps for different needs.
Galleri Syster’s function should be enabling and supportive. Free contemporary art should be allowed to develop in our space. Part of the development takes place in the meeting between art and artists, just like the meeting between artists’ projects and their audience. In that development, frictions are as important as consensus.
With trust in the artists and their projects, we create situations where artistic freedom should prevail. In that freedom, certain economic conditions are given, as well as spatial opportunities.
With experience as a platform for different artistic expressions, Galleri Syster creates public meetings with the projects and artists that we work with in the theme. All projects will meet the audience in some way, but how that meeting takes place may look different depending on the projects’ own goals and purposes.
The young people in Galleri Lillasyster have a natural place in the theme, their artistic experiments should be characterized by free choices and processes. The mentorship during the project period should be designed with this freedom as a starting point.
Just as the placenta ensures that the fetus can develop its own body with its own blood type, Galleri Syster should be the membrane that protects the artistic activity from the wishes and expectations of others.
We want to actively support contemporary art and its practitioners to develop.
We want to create and contribute knowledge about contemporary art and its processes
We want to protect artistic freedom
We want to promote meetings within art and between art and its audience
We want to be a space where friction and discussion are seen as one of the components that enable development.
We are concerned about artistic freedom in a politically turbulent time for art. We are concerned about the different spaces of art and how their principals view contemporary art. We ask ourselves questions such as: What assignments are given to artists and what reservations are given. Who decides what is shown in public spaces, in art halls and in galleries. What will be the consequences of a cultural life that takes place in conference buildings (cultural halls) and with funds from the business community in various forms.
The theme In Praise of the Unnecessary comes from the feeling that art has been kidnapped. That there are expectations of art that it should be useful. That it should be an active part of the social debate, in the climate movement, and in work for peace in the world. Raising important themes that lead to exciting exhibitions, conversations and debates. Furthermore, there are expectations of art to help communities grow and residential areas to feel homely.
Contemporary art is our client, and it needs freedom. Contemporary art needs its own room to develop to its full potential, it must be allowed to fail and be enough in itself. It should be allowed to be unnecessary!
Galleri Syster has the privilege of building structures for the art we work with. Now that structure will be sharpened to set contemporary art free. It should be uncommissioned and allowed to do what it wants. It can be revolt and resistance, but it can also want to be its own experiment in form and beauty.