Skapa skulptur i samverkan : Elli Hembergs självrepresentation som skulptör under 1900-talets senare hälft

Sammanfattning

This study examines how the artist Elli Hemberg (1896 - 1994) represents herself as a sculptor during the latter half of the 20th century in Swedish cultural life and art world. The study´s research questions are:1) How does Elli Hemberg represent herself as a sculptor to contemporary society? 2) What is Elli Hemberg´s view on sculpture and the role of the sculptor in society? 3) How is Elli Hemberg´s self-representation as a sculptor influenced by different ideals and influences in contemporary cultural life and art climate? The theoretical framework of the study is based on cultural sociology, art history and historical theory. Thematic analysis (TA) was used as analytical method to analyze patterns of meaning within textual data, i. e. the artist´s diaries, letters and other documents, as well as a film interview. Through TA, three main themes emerged, which were analyzed and interpreted in the form of a three-part narrative under the headings: The creation of monumental sculpture requires collaborators and self-confidence, Sculpture is living architecture and Art has nothing to do with social policy. The results showed Elli Hemberg´s ambition to represent herself in a trustworthy role as a sculptor in contemporary society in a social network of supportive and loyal colleagues. Furthermore, the results showed how Hemberg represents herself through the creation of abstract sculptures with rhythm and movement inspired by the theory of dynamic symmetry and that the goal of Hemberg´s sculpture creation is to achieve unity and wholeness without representational and narrative content. The results also show that Hemberg's self-representation is influenced by the Swedish society's investments in public art, as well as the many artistic trends and movements of the 20th century and the post-war period.