In the quiet countryside of Götene, nestled in the heart of Västra Götaland, a striking red building stands as both a relic of rural tradition and a beacon of contemporary art.
Once a working barn, this structure has been transformed into the Svenstorp Art Centre, a space where imagination and reality blur—thanks to the visionary mind of Swedish photo artist Erik Johansson.
The building itself is steeped in heritage. Originally part of his family’s working farm, the barn’s bold red façade is a nod to Sweden’s iconic Falu Rödfärg pigment, historically used to preserve wooden structures. Rather than erase its agricultural past, the renovation celebrates it. Exposed beams, rustic textures, and open-plan interiors now serve as a canvas for Johansson’s surreal compositions, creating a dialogue between past and present.
Erik Johansson, internationally renowned for his mind-bending photographic illusions, grew up here. His work is not merely digital trickery – it’s a meticulous blend of photography, retouching, and storytelling. At Svenstorp, visitors are invited into his world: one where landscapes fold in on themselves, gravity defies logic, and the familiar becomes fantastical. Many of the images on display were captured in and around the area, lending the exhibition a deeply personal resonance.
The centre hosts a permanent collection of Johansson’s large-format prints and video installations, each inviting viewers to question the boundaries of perception. A seasonal guest exhibition, “From Earth to Art,” traces the building’s transformation from barn to art space, using photographs, objects, and stories to explore the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Beyond the gallery, the centre includes a charming café serving homemade pastries and locally sourced fare. Visitors can browse a curated shop for prints and keepsakes, or simply linger on the terrace with Fika, soaking in the pastoral serenity.
Svenstorp Art Centre is more than a gallery, it’s a homecoming. It’s where Erik Johansson’s surreal visions return to the soil that inspired them, and where visitors are invited to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be.
Photos courtesy of Julian Erksmeyer and Svenstorp Art Centre.