The Fredrik Roos Foundation awarded Marcus Bergman the scholarship with the following citation:
"Marcus Bergman's works bear witness, both conceptually and materially, to an artistry of complexity and depth. With meticulous craftsmanship, he creates sculptures that – through their physical existence – demand the viewer’s gaze. The works possess a strong physical presence and touch upon universal themes such as mortality and suffering. However, it is almost impossible not to feel tenderness for these works, which in their motifs radiate love, queer identity, and a tangible fragility.”
It is with great pleasure that Museum Director Bo Nilsson welcomes Marcus Bergman to Artipelag with the exhibition Intimate Destruction. The exhibition includes a number of new works and is accompanied by a catalogue presenting Bergman's artistry.
About the Artist
Marcus Bergman was born in Mölndal in 1993 and is currently based in Stockholm. He received his Master's degree from the Royal Institute of Art in 2024 and his Bachelor's degree there in 2022. His artistic education also includes studies at Gerlesborg School of Fine Art, Pernby’s School of Painting, and at the University of Gothenburg in Art History and Visual Studies.
Bergman's work in recent years has been characterized by a figurative expression based on the human body. The works appear as reliefs and sculptures, created in wax and incorporating other materials such as polyester, steel, and wood. They carry a complex thematic revolving around inherited pain, annihilation, tenderness, and queer identity.
For his work, he has received several grants, including those from the Ragnar and Hilma Svensson Donation Fund (2024), the Helge Ax:son Johnson Foundation (2024), and the Gustaf & Ida Unman Donation Fund (2023).