Galerie Nordenhake celebrates 50 years with global exhibitions

Galerie Nordenhake is celebrating five decades in the art world, a milestone marked by a special presentation at the prestigious Art Basel fair and upcoming jubilee exhibitions across its spaces in Stockholm, Berlin, and Mexico City. The gallery, founded by Claes Nordenhake, has a rich history of showcasing both established and emerging artists.

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I have never been interested in the political.

At Art Basel, Galerie Nordenhake is featuring works by artists like Swedish-Somali Ayan Farah and Norwegian-Nigerian Frida Orupabo, alongside pieces by masters such as Pablo Picasso and Joan Mitchell. This presentation highlights the gallery's long-standing commitment to its represented artists, many of whom will be further celebrated in the anniversary exhibitions opening July 4.

Claes Nordenhake, now 77 and gradually stepping back from daily operations, looks back at the gallery's origins. His early exposure to artists visiting his father's quarry in Skåne, Sweden, including figures like Max Bill and Isamu Noguchi, offered a stark contrast to his more conventional upbringing. These encounters fostered an appreciation for the open and bold attitudes of artists, influencing his career path.

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My father had a quarry in Skåne where a lot of artists came. Primarily Swedish, but also some international ones, like Max Bill and Isamu Noguchi.

After a brief attempt at studying law, Nordenhake co-founded Galerie Triangeln in 1973 before launching his own gallery under his name three years later. The inaugural exhibition featured Swedish painter Olle Bærtling, whose concrete art style diverged from the politically charged art prevalent in the 1970s. Nordenhake admits that this focus on concrete art, rather than political commentary, did not initially draw large crowds but remained a conviction he held.

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In contrast to the rather bourgeois factory owner life that I lived, the artists offered an attitude that I perceived as more open and courageous.

Nordenhake describes the gallerist role as one he largely invented himself, encompassing a wide range of tasks from practical duties like cleaning and carpentry to intellectual pursuits such as art history, philosophy, and business strategy. Despite the demanding nature of the profession, he maintains that his primary interest has always been in the art itself, not in political discourse.

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The 70s were dominated by political, almost propagandistic art. Olle Bærtling was, like myself, more interested in the concretist direction.