Paletten

Paletten is Sweden's oldest and longest-running art magazine, now in its eighth decade of continuous production. It is published quarterly in the Swedish language by Stiftelsen Paletten (the Paletten Foundation), located in Gothenburg.

Initially Paletten concerned itself primarily with local issues but, over time, broadened its scope to feature national and international art. Paletten portrays the art scene, presents artists and their work, and initiates discussions, almost always as an alternative to mainstream culture. Issues often have particular themes or subjects: from trends and art theory to critiques of government art policy. Paletten collaborates with selected artists in producing each new issue.

History

Paletten is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, where it was founded in 1940. For many years it was published by the Gothenburg Artists Club. Among the first members of its editorial staff were painters Nils Nilsson and Ragnar Sandberg of the Göteborgskoloristerna group as well as Hjalmar Eldh and C.T. Holmström. The magazine's first editor-in-chief was Gunnar Wallin.

In addition to its primary focus on art, Paletten has also published poems and essays by leading Swedish authors including Erik Blomberg, Karin Boye, Gunnar Ekelöf, and Nobel Prize laureate Harry Martinson. Editors of Paletten have included Torsten Bergmark, Rabbe Enckell, Folke Edwards, Leif Nylén, Gertrud Gustavsson (Sandqvist), Hans Johansson, and Isabella Nilsson. From 1971–1978 Håkan Wettre produced the periodical as managing editor.

From the mid-1990s Paletten worked with guest editors who were curators, artists or critics and who brought an individual touch to each issue. These editors included Maria Lind, Ernst Billgren, Jan Håfström, John Sundkvist, Peter Cornell, Tom Sandqvist, Jan-Erik Lundström, and Mika Hannula. Since 2002, regular editors have included: Cecilia Gelin, Anna van der Vliet, and Sophie Allgårdh. In March 2011, Milou Allerholm, Sinziana Ravini, and Fredrik Svensk became the new editors. The first issue by the editorial team came out in June 2011.

References

References and commentary

• Paletten in Swedish Nationalencyklopedin

(English translation) The art periodical Paletten was founded in 1939 by the Gothenburg Artists' Club and is now published four times a year by the Paletten Foundation. Formerly Paletten was primarily concerned with younger artists from the west of Sweden but the present ambition is to cover art throughout Sweden and to survey contemporary international art.

• Aftonbladet 2 October 2006, writer: Ulrika Stahre

  (English translation) The world is full of remarkable feats. One such is the Berlin artist Stefan Thiel's work in converting the Marquis de Sade's book 120 Days of Sodom into Braille. The new number of the art periodical Paletten concerns itself with passions and desires, and exoticism. Refreshing to read a sample of de Sade's text -- "the desire to destroy the sun and set the world afire" -- in Hans Johansson's pioneering translation.

External links

• Paletten website