Royal Djurgården

The Sculpture Park

Princess Estelles Cultural Foundation, together with the Royal Djurgården Administration, is establishing a permanent sculpture park in the Rosendal area.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2024

The fifth permanent artwork in the
sculpture park on Royal Djurgården will be inaugurated on 30 May 2024. Giuseppe Penone, one of the most important artists of our time, has been selected to create a monumental, site-specific sculpture for the park, The Inner Flow of Life.

"The fluidity contained within our bodies permeates the entire universe. It resides in the heart, the air, and the water. It can be observed in the veins of stone and in the growth of forests. It manifests in the paths we traverse. If we cast our gaze across time, we witness the transformation of stone back into fluid through the actions of wind, rain, sun, and ice, reducing it to the dust from which our life emerges. Amidst the roots of an upturned bronze tree, seeds sprout, and its trunk extends into space. The veins of a stone block resemble an entire forest, captured and compressed within the substance of the stone. Around the stone, the trees of the forest intertwine, imprinting themselves upon our memory."

– Giuseppe Penone

guide app and audio guide

The free guide app 'Kungliga promenader' (Royal Walks) will guide you from Djurgårdens bridge to Rosendal.

The qr code at each sculpture links to an audio guide in which the artist presents their art.

Through the foundation, The Crown Princess Couple aim to show the importance of art and culture for an open, modern society.

As one of Stockholm's most popular recreation areas, which is open to everyone, all day long and all year round, Djurgården is a particularly suitable location for the exhibition.

The permanent sculpture park

Through the foundation's long-term work, it will be possible to follow up the previous sculpture exhibitions shown at Djurgården.

In 2023 Charlotte Gyllenhammar's unique work Untold was is installed by the beech grove next to Rosendal Palace on Royal Djurgården. The bronze sculpture is four meters high.

In 2022, HRH Prince Daniel unveiled the new work 'Wind Sculpture in Bronze I' by Yinka Shonibare CBE. Shonibare’s sculpture is installed between Rosendal Palace and Ståthållarängen.

Since 2021, the monumental sculpture ‘Life Rings’ by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, has been placed at the south side of Djurgårdsbrunn Bay (Djurgårdsbrunnsviken).

In 2020 the first sculpture exhibition was implemented by the foundation. Six of the artist Alice Aycock's works were shown, of which Hoop-La became the first to be acquired for the permanent sculpture park. The sculpure is placed at the south side och Folke Bernadotte's bridge.

Previous sculpture exhibitions

The previous sculpture exhibitions were initiated by Prince Daniel and arranged by Galleri Andersson/Sandström in association with the Royal Djurgården Administration.

In 2018, artist Jaume Plensa's sculptures were shown on Djurgården, including three seven-metre high cast iron portraits. One of his sculptures was installed in the water of Djurgårdsbrunn Bay (Djurgårdsbrunnsviken).

In 2017, six large sculptures by Swedish artist Eva Hild were displayed.

In 2016, five monumental sculptures by British artist Tony Cragg were positioned on both sides of the Djurgårdsbrunn Bay (Djurgårdsbrunnsviken).

Top image: 'Hoop La' by artist Alice Aycock. Photo: Joanna Sundström/Preks.se

The Princess Estelle Sculpture Park continues to grow. The fifth permanent artwork, 'The Inner Flow of Life' is created by Giuseppe Penone. He is often described as a master of materials, a sculptor with the ability to reveal what is invisible and make the impossible possible. Photo: Örjan Furberg

Charlotte Gyllenhammar's unique work 'Untold', the fourth permanent sculpture in its collection. The bronze sculpture, four meters high, is installed by the beech grove next to Rosendal Palace on Royal Djurgården, se map below. Photo: Katarina Jansdottir/Preks.se

Skulpturen 'Wind Sculpture in Bronze I' vid Djurgårdsbrunnsviken på Kungliga Djurgården

'Wind Sculpture in Bronze I' by Yinka Shonibare CBE. Standing two metres high Wind Sculpture in Bronze I, in the form of a large three-dimensional textile, has abstracted leaf patterns across the entire surface. This is a reference to Dutch wax batik fabrics – a signature motif of Shonibare’s art. Photo: Preks.se

Skulptur Kungliga Djurgården Life Rings

Since June 2021, the monumental sculpture ‘Life Rings’ by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, has been placed at Djurgårdsbrunnsviken. The sculpture towers over seven meters tall. Photo: Ruth Anna Eriksson/Preks.se

Alice Aycock Hoop-La skulptur Kungliga Djurgården

Alice Aycock's works were shown at Djurgården 2020, of which Hoop-La became the first to be acquired for the permanent sculpture park. Photo: Johan Lindskog

The sculptures are located in the area Rosendal at Royal Djurgården. The Folke Bernadottes bridge units Rosendal with the museum park on the north side of Djurgårdsbrunn bay. Click on the image to enlarge the map.

Kungliga promenader på Kungliga Djurgården. Ladda ned gratis promenad app och kombinera natur, skulptur, arkitektur och kultur.

Discover South of Royal Djurgården with the 'Royal Walks' app, free to download from the App Store and Google Play. Theme "Djurgården Art Walk" includes guide to the permanent sculptures. Photo: Julius Bohlin

THE PRINCESS ESTELLE SCULPTURE
PARK AT ROYAL DJURGÅRDEN

Ever since it was founded in 2019, the Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation has presented new artists every year at Royal Djurgården in Stockholm. Every year the foundation acquires a sculpture for a permanent sculpture park in Stockholm.

PRINCESS ESTELLE'S CULTURAL FOUNDATION
The foundation is based on a royal tradition of promoting culture in Sweden. The Crown Princess Couple want to bring this tradition up to date, demonstrating their long-term ambitions with the creation of Princess Estelle's Cultural Foundation.

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