13 March 2025

‘From Moomin to Chop Chop’ features works by Tove Jansson, Ilon Wikland and Linda Bondestam

The exhibition From Moomin to Chop Chop is a joyful and colourful celebration of the art of children’s book illustration. With works from the mid-1940s to the present day, the exhibition highlights four of the most beloved Nordic children’s book illustrators: Tove Jansson, Ilon Wikland, Pija Lindenbaum, and Linda Bondestam. The exhibition is open until August 17th, 2025.

Prins Eugen’s Waldemarsudde, situated on Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden, is one of the most popular art museums in Sweden. Its new exhibition named From Moomin to Chop Chop sheds light on the unique power of visual storytelling, where images not only complement but enhance the magic of children’s literature. The exhibition, aimed at visitors of all ages, presents four artists from four different generations.

The exhibition includes more than 300 works in the form of sketches, finished illustrations, three-dimensional objects, such as early Moomin figures, and paper sculptures. It emphasises the interplay between image and word, and viewers are invited to reflect on questions such as: How is a character created? How are places, events and moods depicted in an image? What role do colours, lines and shapes play in the exhibited works?

“The exhibition offers unique opportunities to reflect on artistic processes and connections between image and text, but also to study how emotions, moods and topical issues are explored by Tove Jansson, Ilon Wikland, Pija Lindenbaum and Linda Bondestam. The right to be oneself, equal value and inclusion are important themes addressed by all the artists in the exhibition, but they also cover topics such as fleeing, marginalisation and inclusion and identity issues and new technological developments. Our wish is that the exhibition will both provoke thought and encourage creativity,” says Karin Sidén, Museum Director at Waldemarsudde.

Illustrations dating from the 1940s to present day

The artists in the exhibition belong to four different generations. This means that From Moomin to Chop Chop presents the development of the Swedish and Finland-Swedish children’s book genre from the mid-1940s to today, both in terms of content and aesthetics.

In addition to the Moomins, Tove Jansson’s illustrations for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are also exhibited in Waldemarsudde.

For Ilon Wikland, visitors get to explore characters illustrated for Astrid Lindgren’s stories, such as Ronja, the Robber’s daughter, and Karlsson on the Roof, alongside Ilon’s personal stories, including Sotis : a true story and The Long, Long Journey.

Linda Bondestam Paintings at waldemarsudde

Linda Bondestam’s exhibition hall features illustrations and works from books such as My Life at the Bottom, an enchanting story about the ongoing climate change told by the voice of an axolotl, and the 2024 August Prize winner Chop Chop – The Story of a Busy Robot.

In one of the exhibition halls, there is also an interactive room for creative work and reading aloud that gives children and adults the opportunity to create their own stories and illustrations. The exhibition is complemented by a richly illustrated catalogue with articles by leading experts in children’s literature and the art of illustration.

In addition, an audio guide, guided tours, and readings for children, as well as a wide-ranging program for adults with artist talks, lectures, and tours, will be organised.

Open until August 17th, 2025

From Moomin to Chop Chop is open until August 17th, 2025.

Address:
Prins Eugens väg 6
Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden

Get tickets on waldermarsudde.se