Galerie Max Hetzler: Ida Ekblad Painting Acquired by Henie Onstad, UK Solo Show Set
On July 3, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced multiple developments for artist Ida Ekblad, including the acquisition of her painting BLUE SMOKE. THIN SMOKE. DIRTY SLOW ANGEL SPARKS. by the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter in Høvikodden. Additionally, her first major UK solo presentation, "WORLD'S LARGEST METAPHOR", opens at The Hepworth Wakefield in November 2026, featuring new oil paintings and large-scale sculptures in glass, cast iron, and hand-painted bronze. The exhibition will travel to Kunsten, Museum of Modern Art Aalborg in Summer 2027. Ekblad's monumental sculpture A DEADLY SLUMBER OF ALL FORCES was also acquired by Kistefos Sculpture Park in Jevnaker, and her 2020 painting The Girls Will Bring You Nightmares is now part of the Moderna Museet collection in Stockholm. A group exhibition at The Twist, Kistefos Museum, includes works by Ekblad and Albert Oehlen.
The Signal
These developments underscore Ekblad's growing institutional presence across Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and the UK. Her shift from two-dimensional painting to ambitious, site-specific sculpture reflects a broader trend among contemporary artists exploring the dimensional limits of their practice. The publication of her first monograph, Melted Snow, and her limited-edition print for Texte zur Kunst further cement her engagement with sampling and street culture, positioning her as a key voice in abstract painting and object-making today.
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- Artists: Ida Ekblad, Albert Oehlen, Francis Picabia, Matias Faldbakken, Joe Bradley
- People: Daniel Baumann, Martha Kirszenbaum, Stian Grøgaard, Agnes Moraux
- Galleries: Galerie Max Hetzler
- Museums: Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, The Hepworth Wakefield, Kunsten, Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, Kistefos Museum, Kunsthaus Zürich, Moderna Museet, Kunstnernes Hus, Kunsthalle Zürich
- Locations: Høvikodden, Wakefield, Aalborg, Jevnaker, Zürich, Stockholm, Oslo
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