Swedish Institute Exhibition Explores Abstraction Through Olle Bærtling and Contemporary Artists

The Swedish Institute in Paris is hosting an exhibition titled 'Formes ouvertes' from February 20 to July 19, 2026, focusing on abstraction. Centered on Swedish artist Olle Bærtling, the show features his concept of 'open form' developed in the 1950s, which uses geometric lines to extend space beyond the canvas. It includes works by seven contemporary artists—Cécile Bart, Rana Begum, Ulla von Brandenburg, and Jacob Dahlgren among them—to demonstrate abstraction's ongoing relevance and dynamic nature. The exhibition aims to challenge perceptions of abstraction as inaccessible by presenting it as a lively, evolving field through comparative displays.