SSE Art Initiative

An important part of our vision involves an increased focus on including art and culture in the campus environment. It gives our students a broader dimension that we believe is crucial to their path into the future. The SSE Art Initiative in conjunction with the Literary Agenda embed contemporary art and literature in the academic environment of SSE. Art and literature provide subtle knowledge of new realities not yet articulated in theory. Artists and authors such as Olafur Eliason, Maria Miesenberger, Arthur Jafa, Cecilia Edefalk, Bigert & Bergström, Jens Fänge, Ocean Vuong, Jamaica Kinkaid and Jonas Hassen Khemiri help us fulfil our educational mission FREE.

We host exhibitions, art talks, concerts and symposiums for students, researchers, and the public. The goal is to advance cultural literacy and develop new knowledge, but also to encourage empathy amongst our students and faculty.

During 2020–2021, the SSE Art Initiative activities included video screenings of art such as Emmanuel Van der Auwera’s HOME and online seminars by artists including Knutte Wester and Iris Smeds, and new works were added to SSE’s permanent art collection.

The SSE Art Initiative is generously supported by several alumni, friends, and the Jonas & Christina af Jochnick Foundation.