Artists

Aage Gaup

Press release

Aage Gaup was one of the most wilful Nordic sculptors of his generation, with a powerful, poetic idiom and a large-scale format. His art is characterised by a fascination for abstract expression and a personal exploration of Sami spirituality. Due to the Second World War, Aage Gaup (1943–2021) grew up separated from his Sami origins, but he later returned to his roots in Sápmi through art. During the 1970s, he emerged as an important creative power in the renewal of the Sami cultural scene, including as co-founder of the radical artist group "The Masi Group/Mázejoavku" in 1978 and as a set designer at the Sami National Theatre Beaivváš, established in 1981. Moderna Museet's exhibition is the most extensive presentation of Aage Gaup's art to date. Curators: Lena Essling and Joa Ljungberg, Moderna Museet The Truth Commission for the Sámi People The Truth Commission for the Sámi People will present its work in autumn 2026. Eight art institutions and organisations are engaging with this through exhibitions, concerts, symposia and talks: Accelerator, Amnesty Sápmi, Bildmuseet, Gaaltije Saemien Museume, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Moderna Museet Malmö, the Sámi Association in Stockholm and the Public Art Agency Sweden. Together, we highlight stories of colonialism, Sámi identity, relationships to land, language and belonging.