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the water palace

A dear and stubborn tradition. That is what Liljevalchs calls its Spring salon, this year’s edition having opened last week. The same epithets could perhaps be used about Mikael Wahrby, who has persistently applied for and been admitted to the Spring salon since the beginning of his career in the 1970s. This year is the 17th time he participates, contributing a new image, belonging to the series of Stockholm depictions that have taken up most of his time in recent years.

”Vattenslottet (The Water palace)" depicts Strömsborg, a somewhat forgotten but exotic building in the middle of the city, sandwiched between Vasabron and Centralbron. It occupies its very own island - Stockholm's smallest, in fact - and contributes to the experience that Stockholm is the Venice of the North.

To Mikael Wahrby, the building looks as though floating on water. The building previously accommodated a dance palace, restaurant, baths and bowling alleys. The current building was rebuilt in 1923–1930, the architect was Ragnar Östberg.

"A sloping roof and a uniform color enhance the lightness of the elegant Water palace," says Mikael Wahrby. "To the left in the picture, Norstedt & Söner's book printing house can be seen. Like a castle, this building also rises from the water, with a tower that has been called the perch tail."

Mikael Wahrby began studying at the Stockholm Academy of Fine Arts in 1971 and has been active as a copper printmaker for decades. He believes that the method of copper prints - to develop a motif in the copper plate, which is etched and printed on paper - suits him particularly well. In addition, he is attracted by the ”quietness" of the black and white often used in etchings.