Misschiefs Takeover

Misschiefs, a feminist collective, highlights Swedish women, artists, and designers in a fun and interdisciplinary way. Unique in its form and layout. It’s opened to the public and free of charge in the centre of Stockholm.

In this former 500 square meter laundry factory, women have taken up space in different corners, creating their works during the pandemic. ”We all need each other, and this is a fabulous place for creativity, meeting and selling art” says Paola Bjäringe, who’s behind this unique project. It’s a true possibility for exchange and to show and sell now when most venues are closed.

Paola Bjäringe at Miaachiefs

Stockholm is one of the few capitals in the world that has kept private galleries and museums opened. Artists and cultural workers are suffering as most don’t have any cover-up or steady income. Women artists are hard hit as they usually carry the additional burden of keeping up with their family lives. 

Misschiefs is a feminist groundbreaking show of ten trailblazing Swedish contemporary artists, designers and guests. The punk nature of their work is a crossover between art, design and handicraft. These artists were chosen in order to boost the visibility of women, and part of the sales will go to an international foundation for women. All the objects exhibited have been created exclusively for Misschiefs.

You can walk home with a cool lamp, a fluorescent glass figure, a stool made from exclusive wood, an enormous painting of a pinkish woman, a handwoven carpet, a sofa, photography, the best looking ironing board I’ve ever seen, a yellow glass table, a sculpture, a broken mirror, a tapestry, a heavy and unique vase that no mischievous cat can ever spill over… Or you can just come and chat with some of the women working on their art and interact person to person.

”We started The Case for Her because we are MISSCHIEFS. We believe that women’s health is worth going all in for. We go first. We take risks. We speak the truth. We use everything we’ve got to make it count,” according to Cristina Ljungberg, who’s not afraid of provocation and stepping out of her comfort zone. 

Art shouldn’t be a luxury – culture is needed for us humans to thrive. This pandemic has at least taught us that! To live is to create, and to create is to live. Motherhood and maternity are creative but can take the form of art instead of a baby. Some of these women demand the right NOT to have children, others enhance their own mothers. Why a feminist show? What’s so different between a woman’s and a man’s creativity? Is there a difference these days when gender seems to become more and more diffuse? The only way to find out is to come and discover for yourself.     

This pop-up show is definitely worth checking out! It will lift your spirits, inspire you, and who knows, maybe you’ll come home with one of the works to decorate your home with? Punk is fun, I assure you!

Anne Edelstam, Stockholm

Misschiefs: Linnégatan 4, Stockholm