From the age of the Vikings to the settlers of the New Sweden Colony (1638-1655), to contemporary issues in Scandinavian society, the American Swedish Historical Museum will take you back in time and across the sea to learn the stories of Swedes in America.

Fiber Installations by Ted Hallman, PhD

The hand speaks and craft communicates from the heart. Fiber sculptor Ted Hallman examines the relationship between traditional and modern craft through three contemporary installations on ASHM’s first floor.

Explore how Hallman engages his craft by using traditional Swedish techniques. For example, Hallman’s vibrant rya rugs reflect the intense spirit of traditional folk paintings. And sculptural pieces such as his massive fabric trees and clouds remind us of fiber’s three-dimensional nature. Walk through these galleries to meditate on Hallman’s spirited textiles and the eternal dialogue between the traditional and modern.

The Montgomery County-based artist comes from colonial Swedish and Finnish heritage. A student of painting and weaving from the legendary Cranbrook Academy of Art and strongly influenced by Carl Milles, Hallman studied with influential Swedish-Finn designers Marianne Strengell and Maija Grotell.

Hallman’s work is in the permanent collections of 22 museums worldwide, including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia; the Museum of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.  Today, Ted Hallman remains a seminal figure in creating fiber sculptures and installations in American contemporary craft.

Find more information about the exhibit opening on Oct 20th here.