Picture book magic for all ages
10 april–31 oktober 2027
Step into a world of familiar characters, subtle humour and everyday adventures. In spring 2027, the Gothenburg Museum of Art will present more than one hundred original illustrations and a selection of films by Olof Landström, one of Sweden’s most important children’s book illustrators.
Olof Landström’s illustrations and animations have shaped Swedish children’s culture for more than half a century. You may recognise Charlie’s Climbing Tree, Farbrorn som inte vill va’ stor (The Man Who Didn’t Want to Grow Up) or the quirky characters Boo and Baa. These familiar figures are part of a body of work spanning seven decades – from illustrations and animated films to books and stories for children.
For the first time, you can experience the breadth of Landström’s work in a major retrospective exhibition. Here, you can explore original illustrations and films dating from the 1960s to the 2020s – works that hold a special place in many people’s memories, but are well worth rediscovering.
In Landström’s visual world, small everyday moments and big questions come together, often seen from a child’s perspective. The ordinary can suddenly become an adventure, filled with understated humour and warmth. The world of adults is seen through a child’s eyes, and sometimes adults long to return to childhood.
Olof Landström has illustrated around fifty children’s books and collaborated with, among others, Peter Cohen, Barbro Lindgren and Beppe Wolgers. Together with his wife Lena Landström, he has created the Boo and Baa and Will books, among others. More recently, he has also illustrated four well-received books with the poet Lotta Olsson.
Image: Olof Landström, Charlie’s Climbing Tree, 1975. Distribution: Folkets Bio.