This week long process residency will be used to develop the latest chapter of my on-going Following Eugène project (2014 – ). A Spring Outing takes its starting point in Eugène Jansson (1862–1915) showing the first of his ‘naked athletes’ series in Verdandi’s Spring Exhibition, Uppsla 1907. The exhibition opened only a few weeks after Jansson’s friend and photographer Nils Santesson was sentenced to ten months hard labour after being found guilty of homosexuality. That courtcase ignited debate that eventually led from homosexuality being defined as an illness rather than a criminal act. A Spring Outing considers the personal, social, and political implications of declaring one’s sexuality and or gender identity in contemporary and historical contexts as well as considering how such declarations are made.

The residency concludes with two afternoons when the public are welcome to join me in open discussion.

Open to the public Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September, 12–4pm

The residency is made possible with support from Köttinspektionen, and Uppsala City Council.

Photo: Pavel Matveyev

A week long residency turns Galleri 1 into a creative research laboratory – a point of collection and investigation relating to the history and legacy of Eugène Jansson first showing his ‘naked athletes’ in Uppsala.

The residency is open to the public: Wednesday – Friday, 2–6pm and Saturday – Sunday, 1–4pm

Photo: Pavel Matveyev

Uppsala Artists’ Club presents a themed exhibition featuring work by 32 of the club’s members.

My work ‘Universe’ is inspired by the opening lines William Blakes’ poem Auguries of Innocence (1803) … ‘To see a world in a grain of sand / And a heaven in a wild flower / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand / And eternity in an hour …’ and my love of glitter.

Vernissage: Saturday 1 June from 12.00 noon, The exhibition is open until 8pm

Exhibition open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 2 – 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 – 4pm

Or by appointment.

www.uppsalakonstnarsklubb.se

Join Stuart Mayes in conversation with Katarina Karyotaki as they discuss Stuart’s current research into Eugène Jansson’s participation in the 1907 Verdandi student association’s Spring Exhibition.

In the early 1900s Verdandi organised a series of Spring Exhibitions that attracted national attention, not least the 1907 iteration where Eugène Jansson showed his male nudes (naked athletes) for the first time. Taking this as a starting point Stuart’s project invites investigations of the city across and through queer experience.

The conversation is part of Verdandi’s cultural biennale, for further details visit their Facebook page

Supermarket makes it’s annual return! This year we are back in the Skärholmen district with more than 60 artist-run galleries, organisations, and projects presenting work from across Europe and around the world.

In addition to the exhibition booths there is a public programme of talks and performances, and the catalogue includes essays and articles by international artists and writers.

I will be running the Exhibitors’ Meetings programme with hosts and guests from Sweden, the UK, USA, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, South Africa, Algeria, Argentina, and Egypt.

Liljevalchs, as part of Stockholm City’s Culture Night, invites you to a special late night opening of the Spring Exhibition from 6.00pm until 12.00pm (midnight).

Every half hour from 6.30– 11.30pm there will be a 20 minute introductory presentation by gallery staff.

The show closes on Sunday (21st April at 5.00pm) so Culture Night is the perfect opportunity to see it if you haven’t already done so – not only that but the free entry cover two other exhibitions in the same building!

Public Art Agency Sweden has recently published a handbook for public art commissioners, specifically local councils. I am really pleased that my Departure and Arrival project för Konstfrämjandet Västmanland and Region Västmanland appears in one of the featured case-studies.

The book is available in print and as a downloadable pdf from Statens konstråds website

[The book is in Swedish]

I am delighted to have had five pieces from my tie drape series selected for Liljevalchs Vårsalongen 2024 (The Spring Exhibition), Stockholm.

The selection committee for the 2024 show – curators Ashik Zaman and Tawanda Appiah, olympic rider Peder Fredricson, and Liljevalch’s director Joanna Sandell Wright – have chosen works that together make a “generous and joyful exhibition.”

The exhibition features 289 artworks from 163 artists (selected from a nearly 5000 applicants) – both professional and amatuer – across most media: sculpture, painting, drawing, print, photogaphy, video, and textile.

The exhibition runs until Sunday 21 April. For more information click here

I will be moderating one of the ‘philosophical double-bill’ Think Tanks. The starting point for the discussion contests that much of culture is now ultra processed in much the same way food is now ultra processed, that is to say that it has been tweaked so as to make it addicitve and at the same time non-nutritional or even harmful. How does this impact artist-run, and how do we meet the challenge?

The Think Tanks programme is co-hosted by Supermarket Art Fair and I am attending the fair as a representative from Supermarket where I am the Meetings coordinator.

Juxtapose Art Fair

Juxtapose Art Fair 2021. Think Tank. Photo: Mariana Gil

An installation of fabric flags on the facade of the station building.

Site inspired installation commissioned by Konstframjändet Västmanland

The commission is a part of the ASK (Sites for Contemporary Art) project initiated by Konstframjänder Västmanland in collaboration with Region Västmanland, 2020 – 2023.

The installation is made possible with support from Köping kommun, Region Västmanland, Konstframjändet Västmanland

An installation of fabric flags in the the station’s waiting room

Site inspired installation commissioned by Konstframjändet Västmanland

The commission is a part of the ASK (Sites for Contemporary Art) project initiated by Konstframjänder Västmanland in collaboration with Region Västmanland, 2020 – 2023.

The installation is made possible with support from Kungsör kommun, Region Västmanland, Konstframjändet Västmanland

New work by Stuart Mayes and Klas Hällerstrand.

Vernissage Saturday 27 August, 12 – 3 pm.

Open: Wednesday 5 – 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 – 3pm, free entry

Möte med … Stuart och Klas / Meet Stuart and Klas, Wednesday 7 September 7pm, 100/80 kr

Visitors are welcomed into an ongoing creative process inspired by heraldic shields, family crests, as well as the life and works of artist Eugène Jansson (1862 -1915).

Stuart began using the term 'live work' to describe particular aspects of his practice in the mid 90s while studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Transformer marks the artist's return to this form of presentation since making Bed (London, 2009).


Wednesday – Friday, 2.00 – 6.00pm
Saturday and Sunday, 12.00 noon – 4.00pm

Artist Stuart Mayes leads a summer school for children and young people at Uppsala Art Museum.

Taking inspiration from Stuart’s own practice, the museum’s exhibition programme, sculptures and installations the summer school is a place for creative experimentation and play. With a different theme each day and a broad range of additional materials participants are encouraged to explore new ways of working with textiles, fabrics, cloths and clothes.

Members of the Adelante artists’ group present an exhibition encompassing diverse art forms and artistic concerns.

Artists: Kajsa Haglund, Tina Tombrock, Yasaman Sharif Manesh, Eva Björkman, Klas Hällerstrand, Farzane Rad, Awni Mohamad, Blerta Kapo, Pavel Matveyey, Eva Hesslow, Ida Lindgren, Regia Melander, Kalsoom Ali, Mireia Rocher, Rounak Rasoulpour, Seywan Saedian, and Stuart Mayes,

Members of the group will be leading creative workshops for children through out the summer holidays.

Further information: in Swedish