What does it mean to be a father – and what happens when closeness is absent? In Den lyckligaste leken, Björn Wiman portrays his relationship with his father: a relationship that never quite became what the son longed for, shaped by a generation that struggled to get close to their children. Downhill skiing became their shared language – a place where joy was uncomplicated and where they could truly connect.

The conversation begins with the book and expands into questions of fatherhood, memory, absence, vulnerability, and reconciliation – themes that are highly relevant at Fotografiska right now.

At Fotografiska, the conversation encounters two current artistic perspectives. In Diana Markosian’s exhibition Father, we follow her attempt to reconnect with a father who had been absent for fifteen years. Using the camera as a bridge, she explores family ties, loss, identity, belonging, and reconciliation. In the group exhibition Harder Better Faster Stronger – Are Men OK?, artists examine how ideas about masculinity shape relationships and family life, among other things – from strength and achievement to care, closeness, and vulnerability.

Together, the exhibitions and Wiman’s story create a broader conversation about fatherhood: what we inherit, what is lost, and the possibility of finding new ways to connect.

Björn Wiman is an author and the culture editor of the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. His previous books include I en sal på lasarettet (2022) and Grinden i Dachau (2024).

Details

Location: Event Dining Room, Level 2 
14:30 Doors open 
15:00 Book talk 
16:00 Book signing 
16:30 Thank you for today! Feel free to explore our exhibitions and visit our restaurant for something to eat or drink.

Tickets 

Regular museum admission. Members enter free of charge. Book your member ticket or become a member here