Ebba Grahn

A group of clay characters in different colours sitting around a camp fire in a forest landscape

Ebba Grahn [b. 1995] is an artist from Sweden, based in London and Stockholm with a previous background in industrial- and product design. Her work explores the contemporary nude and its development from a celestial being to an (over-) thinking, (badly-) feeling and (weirdly-) shaped character. The naked body acts as an instrument to illustrate the current world with topics such as mental health, sexuality, and the digital presence.

Education

MA Sculpture, Royal College of Art, London

2022 - 2023

BA Industrial Design, Konstfack University of Art, Crafts and Design, Stockholm

2016 – 2019

Exhibitions

Group Exhibition, Everything is temporary, 3 Locks Brewery, London

2023

Group exhibition, Tom Böttiger Collection Part. 1, CF HILL, Stockholm

2019

Group Exhibition, Konstfack Degree Exhibition 2019, Konstfack, Stockholm

2019

Group Exhibition, Vårsalongen 2018, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm

2018

Group Exhibition, Vårsalongen 2014, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm

2014

Woman leaning against wall in white t-shirt and light blue jeans

My work confronts the audience with emotional, figurative, and sometimes frightening figures. Characters that do not shy away from eye contact or to reveal their deepest, darkest feelings.

The sculptures are sometimes based on an enhanced biographical experience; telling the saga of an emotional, confused, daring and curios twenty-something wanderer. Or they are telling stories that are less individual about life as a contemporary human. Often, the work is made from the perspective of a person belonging to a post-internet generation, a person that has an intimate relationship with their smartphone.

The continuous use of acrylic glass helps me incorporate the undeniable presence of technology to my work, thanks to its machine-made and sleek laser cut finish, as well as the artificial and bright colors I use. A presence I desire to keep constant, despite that the questions I ask, the emotions I portray and the life I live have existed long before the internet and social media.

The Swelling Cycle – is one of five characters from ‘It’s Not You, It’s Definitely Me [it usually is]’ and represents bodily hate. The type of self-hate that is present during those days when you have canceled your workout class to instead eat a million sandwiches while scrolling through your feed. A feed filled with images of perfect bodies, bodies that you could have had, if you had gone to the gym and stopped eating bread. The exact opposite of what you did today, and the day before, and most likely will do tomorrow.

The Mindless Decay – is one of five characters from ‘It’s Not You, It’s Definitely Me [it usually is]’ and represents the mindless sessions of scrolling on a phone, although you had plenty more ambitious day, evening or night plans. Despite knowing better, you still end up in bed, on social media, realizing that there is no point in trying. You can never compete with the ex, the skinny influencer, the successful acquaintance or be able to make as pretty lunchboxes for your future offspring. And you do not even want kids.

Gather Round, There is Plenty of Space Here – is the centerpiece of 'It’s Not You, It’s Definitely Me [it usually is]' and symbolize the traditional ways of treating self-hate and other “negative emotions”. If you are sad, overwhelmed, or heartbroken you only need some fresh air and being in nature. Which is exactly why the five characters have gathered around this fire pit, for an old school therapeutic session that most likely will help them come to terms with their self-loathing and eventually sing Kumbaya as a group.

The Pointless Dreamer – is one of five characters from ‘It’s Not You, It’s Definitely Me [it usually is]’ and represents the self-harming behavior of escaping reality with grand dreams and plans. Dreams and plans that will never happen, because time is passing, skills are non-existent and besides, no one is interested anyway. And yet, your delusional little mind still spends its hours on the bus dreaming and passionately believing that, one day, it will all come true.

The Compulsive Poltergeist – is one of five characters from ‘It’s Not You, It’s Definitely Me [it usually is]’ and represents the self-loathing of being ghosted. It had all gone so well, there was compatibility, great conversations and they seemed to like your body. Why have they not answered your last message? Maybe you did not have that much in common, perhaps you were not mysterious enough and they probably said all those nice things just to get laid. You are worthless, unlovable and should just give up on love.

Medium:

Clay, acrylic paint, dyed acrylic glass, bark

Size:

300 x 300 x 70 cm

The Long Wait is an outdoor sculpture capturing a mundane sight: a patient parent with a restless child, waiting for the bus to take them home. This duo is not unique nor rare and does most likely not stand out from the other passengers waiting by that bus stop. Yet these two have been immortalized as a shiny, black shadow, overlooking, guarding, perhaps judging the passersby and the bus waiters. The difference between the sculpture and the human passengers is that the humans will be entering the bus, moving on to their destination and leaving the bus stop behind, hardly having noticed the shadow still waiting by the bus stand.

Installed on the Royal College of Art Battersea campus June 2023.