Helena Wikström

Helena Wikström, born in 1964, lives and works in Umeå in northern Sweden. Wikström works primarily with installations that incorporate film, photography, sound, and sculpture, often in collaboration with other artists, musicians, and filmmakers. In addition to her involvement in the artist-run gallery Verkligheten in Umeå, she works part-time as a curator for Vita kuben at Norrlandsoperan.

Her work has been shown at, among other places, the Tromsø Film Festival, Bildmuseet, LCCA in Riga, the National Gallery in Prague, SVT (Swedish Television), as well as in a large number of exhibitions, festivals, and projects, both nationally and internationally. She is represented in several municipalities and county councils, as well as in the collections of Moderna Museet and the Swedish National Art Council.

Helena Wikström’s works explore what lies beneath the surface. She digs pots, creates tunnels, and descends below the earth’s crust and water surface. There is a strong curiosity in her art about who inhabits these places—whether they are real creatures, mythological figures, or lichens that are allowed to expand in size and, with built-in speakers, attempt to communicate something to those who wish to listen.

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