The exhibition titled “Northern Lights” at Fondation Beyeler in Riehen (Basel, Switzerland) showcases 74 landscape artworks created by artists from Scandinavia and Canada between 1888 and 1937, including notable works by Hilma af Klint and Edvard Munch. These artists draw inspiration from the boreal forest, capturing its vastness, the glow of perpetual summer days, the darkness of winter nights, and natural events like the aurora borealis. This has led to the development of a distinctive Nordic style in modern art that continues to captivate audiences. The boreal forest, spanning regions both south and north of the Arctic Circle and representing one of the world’s largest original forests, is often portrayed as a spiritual landscape in these works. The exhibition allows viewers to explore the evolution of Nordic landscape painting through the art of artists such as Helmi Biese, Anna Boberg, Emily Carr, Prince Eugen, Gustaf Fjæstad, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Lawren S. Harris, Hilma af Klint, J. E. H. MacDonald, Edvard Munch, Ivan Shishkin, Harald Sohlberg, and Tom Thomson, introducing many to lesser-known artists.

In addition, a new digital installation by contemporary Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, born in 1987, accompanies the exhibition. Titled “Boreal Dreams,” this installation investigates the impact of climate change on the boreal ecosystem, using virtual environments created from scientific field data and gaming technology.

Northern Lights / Fondation Beyeler, Riehen (Basel, Switzerland). January 24, 2025.