Moderna adds Ai Weiwei dissident art to collection
PICTURE GALLERY: Stockholm's modern art museum has added more than 200 pieces to its permanent collection in the past year, including oeuvre by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
"The new works consolidate Moderna Museet’s position as the Nordic countries' leading museum for modern and contemporary art," the institution said in a statement.
“The Moderna Museet Collection is the museum's backbone," said director Daniel Birnbaum. "During 2013, the Swedish people’s shared national art treasure was enriched with key artworks by some of the most important artists of our time. Everyone interested in art has cause to be delighted!”
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The new works include paintings, sculptures, drawings, videos, installations and photographs. Among them, Moderna now has in its possession Fairytale - 1001 Chairs by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, whose work has been exhibited at the Magasin 3 gallery in Stockholm. He was also on the jury of this year's Stockholm Film Festival.
Moderna called the Weiwei piece "a fine complement to the museum’s unique collection of works by Marcel Duchamp".
IN PICTURES: Moderns adds more than 200 pieces to permanent collection in 2013
The statement also noted the museum had acquired the painting Morris Men.
"This is a highly personal commentary on the painting tradition, which is otherwise dominated by American and male forerunners," the museum said of the Iranian-born female artist Tala Madani.
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The roster of artists includes household names, such as Icelandic installation artist Olafur Eliasson - perhaps best known for illuminating the Tate Modern's cavernous lobby with an artificial sun (The Weather Project 2003) or making the bridges of New York spout waterfalls. German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who won the Turner Prize in 2000, has now also made his way into the permanent collection.
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"The new works consolidate Moderna Museet’s position as the Nordic countries' leading museum for modern and contemporary art," the institution said in a statement.
“The Moderna Museet Collection is the museum's backbone," said director Daniel Birnbaum. "During 2013, the Swedish people’s shared national art treasure was enriched with key artworks by some of the most important artists of our time. Everyone interested in art has cause to be delighted!”
READ ALSO: Museum goes pop thanks to returnee Swede director
The new works include paintings, sculptures, drawings, videos, installations and photographs. Among them, Moderna now has in its possession Fairytale - 1001 Chairs by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, whose work has been exhibited at the Magasin 3 gallery in Stockholm. He was also on the jury of this year's Stockholm Film Festival.
Moderna called the Weiwei piece "a fine complement to the museum’s unique collection of works by Marcel Duchamp".
IN PICTURES: Moderns adds more than 200 pieces to permanent collection in 2013
The statement also noted the museum had acquired the painting Morris Men.
"This is a highly personal commentary on the painting tradition, which is otherwise dominated by American and male forerunners," the museum said of the Iranian-born female artist Tala Madani.
READ ABOUT THE CURRENT EXHIBITION: American superstar artist Cindy Sherman plays dress-up in Stockholm
The roster of artists includes household names, such as Icelandic installation artist Olafur Eliasson - perhaps best known for illuminating the Tate Modern's cavernous lobby with an artificial sun (The Weather Project 2003) or making the bridges of New York spout waterfalls. German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who won the Turner Prize in 2000, has now also made his way into the permanent collection.
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