The Institut Suédois in Paris is hosting the first French retrospective of Swedish artist Barbro Östlihn (1930-1995), showcasing her remarkable career that spanned Stockholm, New York, and Paris. The exhibition, running from March 28 to July 20, 2025, highlights the unique painterly style of an artist who stood at the crossroads of American and European avant-garde movements yet developed a distinct artistic voice that is only now receiving the recognition it deserves.
Barbro Östlihn, Gas station © Barbro Östlihn archives, Sothebys France
From Manhattan's Architecture to Abstract Canvases
In 1961, Östlihn arrived in New York with her then-husband, artist and critic Öyvind Fahlström, settling into Robert Rauschenberg's former loft in South Manhattan. It was here that she developed her distinctive artistic approach, walking Manhattan's streets with her camera by day and painting by night. Rather than focusing on the bustling street life, Östlihn was captivated by the city's architectural façades, which she transformed into geometric macro-forms and mosaics on large canvases, often incorporating building names and addresses.
From 1963 onwards, her work gained attention in prominent New York galleries including Galerie Cordier & Ekstrom, Tibor de Nagy Gallery, and Marian Goodman Gallery. Leading critics of the time, such as Barbara Rose and Donald Judd, praised her work. Despite establishing herself within New York's vibrant artistic community and collaborating with Fahlström on various projects—including the 1966 Venice Biennale—her contributions have only recently begun to receive appropriate recognition.
Paris Years and Evolving Style
Following her separation from Fahlström in 1975, Östlihn moved to Paris in 1976 with French artist Charles Dreyfus, where she would remain until her death in 1995. During this period, her paintings evolved toward an even more abstract language, continuing to draw inspiration from architectural elements like walls and floors. The baudoin lebon gallery represented her work during these years.
Delayed Recognition
Despite her significant contributions, Östlihn's uniquely powerful work wasn't recognized in her native Sweden until a major exhibition at the Moderna Museet in 1984. It wasn't until after her death that a series of exhibitions firmly established her place in the history of Swedish post-war art. In 2010, art historian Annika Öhrner published the first monograph on the artist, and in 2022, the Gothenburg Museum of Art devoted a major exhibition to her work.
Barbro Östlihn, Tarragona © Andreas Eriksson Studio
Barbro Östlihn, Pantbank © Moderna Museet
The Exhibition
Curated by Annika Öhrner, Associate Professor at Södertörn University, Stockholm, who presented her PhD thesis on Barbro Östlihn at Uppsala University in 2010, the Institut Suédois exhibition features approximately twenty large-scale works emblematic of Östlihn's entire career. The show includes reproductions of photographs and sketches that informed her paintings, as well as archival documents highlighting the connections between Swedish and French artists in Paris from 1970 to 1990 and Östlihn's significant role in these exchanges.
As a nod to Östlihn's fascination with architectural transformations, the exhibition inaugurates a series of newly restored spaces in the Hôtel de Marle, the historic building that houses the Institut Suédois.
Complementary Exhibition: Pontus Hultén's Vision
Running concurrently with the Östlihn retrospective, the Institut Suédois is also presenting "Keep Smiling! The Printed Universe of Pontus Hultén" (March 28 - September 21, 2025), featuring catalogues, invitations, and posters commissioned by Pontus Hultén, the visionary museum director who acquired Östlihn's first work for the Moderna Museet in 1964. This complementary exhibition offers insight into the artistic environment to which Östlihn belonged and ties in with the upcoming exhibition "Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely and Pontus Hultén" at the Grand Palais (June 20, 2025 - January 4, 2026).
Public Programs
Throughout the spring, the Institut Suédois will host guided tours and panel discussions to provide deeper insights into the exhibitions, including:
April 24, 2025 (19:00-19:45): Guided tour of "Keep Smiling! The Printed Universe of Pontus Hultén" by Stina Gromark and Serge Fauchereau
June 12, 2025 (19:00-20:30): Discussion on Barbro Östlihn and artists' international strategies in the 1960s-1980s with Annika Öhrner, Agata Jakubowska, and Pierre Ruault
June 26, 2025 (12:00-21:00): Pop-up exhibition: "Today's graphic design"
June 26, 2025 (19:00-20:00): Discussion: Experimenting with graphic design, from Pontus Hultén to nowadays
Barbro Östlihn (1930-1995): Stockholm – New York – Paris
Dates: March 28 - July 20, 2025
Veneu: Institut Suédois, 11 rue Payenne, 75003 Paris
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00-19:00 (Late opening until 21:00 on Thursdays)
Website: www.institutsuedois.fr
The Institut Suédois, Sweden's only cultural center abroad, welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors annually for exhibitions, performances, concerts, and events. The center's Café FIKA is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30-19:00 (until 21:00 on Thursdays), offering a peaceful respite from Paris in its courtyard setting.
