Kattlunds Museigård

About the place

‘The Sun is Shining Outside’ is an anniversary exhibition honouring the Gotland-born poet and artist Sonja Åkesson (1926–1977), 100 years after her birth. She is regarded as one of the most significant Swedish poets of the 20th century, and her work is still considered contemporary in both form and content. Last year, Sonja Åkesson became the only person from Gotland to be included in Sweden’s cultural canon, thanks to her feminist poem *The Question of Marriage I* (1963).Drawing on everyday experiences, the exhibition explores central themes in Åkesson’s practice, such as feminism, society and politics. She combined the personal with social criticism, and her texts appear just as relevant today as they did during her lifetime.In the spirit of Sonja Åkesson, *Ute skiner solen* takes the form of a cross-disciplinary, collage-like whole, where different artistic languages meet and interact. The exhibition presents works by Sonja Åkesson that have never before been shown together in their entirety. In addition to her poetry, the exhibition features original manuscripts, visual art and moving images. Many have been inspired by Sonja Åkesson, whilst new generations continue to discover her work. In the exhibition, Åkesson is joined by contemporary cultural creators such as the artist Catti Brandelius, the singer-songwriter Frida Hyvönen and the comic artist Klara Wiksten. There are many points of connection between Åkesson and the other artists. They all have strong individual styles, depict recurring everyday experiences and allow the personal to reflect the universal. They combine simplicity with complexity and have the ability to tackle even difficult and uncomfortable subjects.Catti Brandelius is exhibiting video works, textile works and drawings. Klara Wiksten is represented by comic strips and slideshows, whilst Frida Hyvönen is represented by video works. The exhibition also features texts written by members of the public in the spirit of Sonja Åkesson. With the help of Anders Hellman, a graphic designer and animator, these have been brought to life in an animated film and a publication. The exhibition is curated and produced by Gotland Art Museum in collaboration with Region Gotland’s literature developer, the Sonja Åkesson Society and Konst och form Gotland. The exhibition will be on display at Gotland Museum in Visby from 23 May to 1 November 2026. Photo: Rolf Pettersson/Aftonbladet/TT

Photos

Getting here