Artists in Residence, Stockholm, 4 May–25 October 2026

Since 2009, Mattias Karlsson and Erik Björk have run the multidisciplinary design studio Karlsson & Björk in Stockholm. With backgrounds in fine art, crafts, design, architecture and pedagogy, their practice moves freely across these different disciplines. Their projects are object-oriented and often incorporate wood, while also spanning a broad range of materials and processes. Alongside works produced within their own studio practice, they also undertake ongoing design commissions for clients including Svenskt Tenn, Karl Andersson & Söner, NC Nordic Care and Mitab.

Photo: Daniel Larsson

Karlsson & Björk

During their residency at IASPIS, they will pursue projects centred on crafts, alternative modes of production, text and exhibition-making. They plan to produce a small series of objects and situations, as well as recurring workshops in the IASPIS studio. The space will be used as a studio, workshop, production space and meeting place.

Mattias Karlsson holds a Master of Fine Arts in Spatial Design from Konstfack and a Master of Fine Arts from the Royal Institute of Art. Erik Björk holds a Master’s degree in Practical Knowledge from Södertörn University and is Senior Lecturer and Head of Programme for the Form Programme at Beckmans College of Design. Both also hold a Bachelor’s degree in Furniture Design from Malmstens Linköping University. Karlsson & Björk’s work Ny Svensk Slöjd has been exhibited at the Röhsska Museum (2009), Superstudio Milano (2010), Liljevalchs (2012) and Artipelag (2013). They have received awards and exhibited at the IFDA Fair in Asahikawa (2008, 2017). They have participated in SIDA projects in South Africa and exhibited at Design Indaba (2013). Their project The Inhuman Factor received project funding from Kulturbryggan in 2014 and was shown, together with other works by Karlsson & Björk, in a solo exhibition at Rian Design Museum in 2017.