Pär Engsheden and Sara Danius’s Nobel dresses at Nationalmuseum
From 16 June, Nationalmuseum presents Pär Engsheden and Sara Danius: Nobel Gowns. The exhibition forms part of fashion designer Pär Engsheden’s research project at Beckmans College of Design.
“It is exciting to have my work recognised by one of Sweden’s leading art museums, and to see fashion and couture given greater prominence as forms of artistic expression. My research has explored, among other things, what couture represents in a contemporary context. I hope the exhibition will deepen the understanding that this area of fashion is about more than appearances and celebrity,” says Pär Engsheden, Programme Director of Fashion at Beckmans.
Research into couture
Pär Engsheden’s research takes as its starting point the four dresses he created for Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, between 2015 and 2018. “Sara Danius was to have joined me in the project as a writer, source of inspiration and conversation partner.”
The dresses took on powerful symbolic meaning when they were worn at four different Nobel banquets, embodying what couture stands for today. “Many people think the dresses were designed to attract attention, but they were created for Sara herself. The designs allowed Sara to express who she was more fully, while also giving her strength in return.”
The exhibition—a kaleidoscope
As curator of the exhibition at Nationalmuseum, Pär Engsheden has explored how couture can be presented in a museum context. “For me, it is important to give visitors a complete experience of the dresses—to see each one individually, but also from every angle. The constraints of the space meant that the dresses could not be displayed as separate islands. By arranging mirrored walls in a cross at the centre of the room, we created a kaleidoscopic effect. The reflections allow visitors to see the dresses from all sides while taking in every detail. What is particularly exciting is that the dresses are shown alongside the accessories worn with them, from jewellery to the spectacular magenta platform shoes from 2017,” says Pär Engsheden.
The research will be published as a book this autumn
The dresses emerged from a unique collaboration between designer and client, whose shared, in-depth understanding of the artistic process made the final results possible. This autumn, Pär Engsheden’s research will be published as a book, offering insight into his close collaboration with Sara and the ideas and processes behind the dresses. It also highlights the important contributions of tailor Maggie Webrink and Cathrine Dichy, who was responsible for hair and makeup, to the overall vision. The book will also feature previously unpublished images, conversations and newly commissioned texts by and with many renowned fashion writers and creatives. It will be launched in conjunction with a seminar.
The exhibition Pär Engsheden and Sara Danius: Nobel Gowns, exploring fashion as communication, identity and couture, is on view at Nationalmuseum in Stockholm from 16 June to 21 February.
Artistic research at Beckmans
In 2017, Beckmans College of Design launched an initiative in artistic research. Since then, four research projects have been completed, each connected to one of our subject areas: product design, fashion and visual communication. The projects will be presented in a range of formats throughout 2020, while new research projects will also be initiated.