Ulla Wiggen: Passage

Wiggen's career is marked by distinct yet surprising transitions from one subject to another. Her works also feature various kinds of transitions and passages, where the viewer’s gaze focuses inward on the depicted subject and then back outward again. The exhibition's name also refers to the painting, Passage, on display. 

In the early years of her career in the 1960s, Wiggen took a particular interest in electronics. She then began painting portraits, followed by precise depictions of human internal organs. In the 2010s, Wiggen achieved international breakthrough and wider recognition with her Iris paintings.  

Ulla Wiggen approaches her subjects with calm realism, often using a subdued colour palette. Her works are precise and deliberately detached depictions of their subjects. However, their themes and details provoke contemplation about human existence, the body, and the mind. 

The exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany and Västerås Konstmuseum in Sweden. The Fridericianum hosted Ulla Wiggen's exhibition Outside / Inside in spring 2024, and in 2025 the exhibition hosted at EMMA will travel to its next destination, Västerås.