Deepened Empathy through Artistic Expression

Konstfack degree exhibition 2023: Deepened Empathy through Artistic Expression. Bachelor’s students, May 6–12 / Master’s and Teacher Education students, May 20–26.

“Art, design and crafts affect and touch us all. Even through visual communication, interior architecture and visual arts and sloyd education we can feel and experience, understand, enjoy or be provoked. Sometimes beauty is expressed, other times sharp social criticism, with moments of humour or irony that make us laugh. But most of all, artistic expression is about deepened empathy, both as a starting point and as a sort of goal: Who does what for whom, why, and with what results? Do you see what I see, do you feel what I feel? Or do you see something else? We ask these questions time and time again in our encounters with each other—and with others. In both of this year’s Degree Exhibitions, we offer a wild bouquet of genres to enjoy, a mixture that celebrates diversity, encounters and cross-fertilisations. A primaeval forest ecology of creativity with roots in Konstfack’s 180-year-long history. This time, 199 graduating students from 13 programmes are offering their thoughts and ideas. After endless hours of work and many years of education, we welcome all curious minds to share the students’ stories and expressions about our present and future.” —Vice-Chancellor Maria Lantz

This year, the degree exhibition is curated by Dotdotdot; artists Lisa Juntunen Roos, Petter Rhodiner and Amy Worrall work collectively “with a duty to present new and exciting craft, giving it the same respect as all other visual art forms, with a focus on fun and accessibility for artists, our audiences and ourselves.”

“In the Konstfack Degree Exhibition 2023 we see world-building in progress, the final outcome being the journey and not a fixed destination. Rather than fearing change, the beauty in the chaos that comes with transformation is embraced. These renegotiations are both theoretical and physical, applying new lenses to the mystery and meaning of changing one thing into another. Technology is harnessed to create circular design solutions that equally consider the consumer and the environment. The impending apocalypse is tackled head on with desires to preserve and protect as we live through the end of times. Identities are explored on a macro and micro scale through acts of resistance and restoration. Perception is taken beyond its natural conclusion. Tranquility is found both in religion and nature as someone or something that can be directly called upon, offering up moments of reflection and respite. Emotion is used as a tool and a language to bring us into remembered worlds, capturing moments that would otherwise be lost in time. The graduating students of 2023 present the world in all its bleak, hopeless, beautiful, hopeful glory and explore the endless stream of issues that come with being alive, with tenacity, tenderness and humour. This, this is the way.”

The visual concept for the degree exhibition is created by graphic designer Laslo Strong, who just like Dotdotdot, is a Konstfack alumni. “What I find intriguing about my own experience of the Degree Exhibition, is the tumultuous process of the last months before the show. From this, I wanted the graphic identity to be a space to learn about the multitude of students’ different processes, thoughts that led me to the green screen technique. Looking at an empty and calm green screen, one might imagine different images. All the printed elements of the campaign were turned into green screens, screens that also serve as surfaces and portals online.”

Contact: Anne Klontz, Head of Exhibitions: anne.klontz [​at​] konstfack.se.

Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design is Sweden’s largest university for arts, crafts and design. Since 1844, we have educated a diverse range of professionals within these fields as well as art and sloyd teachers. We conduct both artistic and scientific education/research and currently have 900 students and 200 employees.