Hugo Mugerwa Klockars Wins UPNEXT 2026, Explores Black Interiority in 'Surfacing'
Hugo Mugerwa Klockars, a Swedish artist born in 2003 and currently enrolled at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm, will showcase 'Surfacing' at Southnord in Stockholm from 9 September to 30 October 2026. Curated by Sarah Tawiah Svärd, this exhibition celebrates Klockars as the UPNEXT 2026 winner. His work features large-scale, multi-medium installations that delve into themes of tenderness, fragility, impermanence, and memory. Through hand-sewing, Klockars intricately connects images, books, and collages, transforming the laborious act into a meaningful gesture. Central to the exhibition is an exploration of Black interiority and care, emphasizing how vulnerability can foster resilience. The show invites viewers to reflect on memory and healing over its nearly two-month duration.
Key facts
- Hugo Mugerwa Klockars is the winner of UPNEXT 2026.
- The exhibition 'Surfacing' is on view at Southnord, Stockholm, from 9 September until 30 October 2026.
- The exhibition is curated by Sarah Tawiah Svärd.
- Klockars was born in 2003 and studies at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm.
- The artist works with large-scale, multi-medium installations.
- Klockars uses hand-sewing to stitch together images, books, and collages.
- The exhibition explores Black interiority and the possibilities of care.
- The show is presented as Southnord's UPNEXT 2026 exhibition.
Entities
Artists
- Hugo Mugerwa Klockars
Institutions
- Southnord
- Royal Institute of Art
Locations
- Stockholm
- Sweden