Elsie Dahlberg | 1916-2005
Elsie Dahlberg was a sculptor who worked to create a place for art in society. She created public sculptures throughout Sweden.
Elsie Dahlberg was born in Stockholm in 1916. Her father, Lars Fredrik Dahlberg, was a wholesale merchant. The family, which lived in a seven-room apartment on Odengatan, comprised nine children who were strictly but lovingly brought up by their mother Anna Dahlberg. At the age of four Elsie Dahlberg underwent her first operation on her congenital clubfoot. This was later followed by further operations until she was able to walk, dance, and ski with specially made footwear.
In Ålsten on Åsbacken many soirées were held featuring music and song. 10-year-old Elsie Dahlberg saw images and shapes everywhere; she wanted to become an artist and she would use the playhouse as a “studio”. She was inspired by Allan Runefelt, her friend Aina Runefelt’s 8-year-old brother, who would create imaginary animals – he, too, would go on to become a sculptor. Through her classmate Tutta she came to the artist Mollie Faustman’s home. Elsie Dahlberg felt that going to school was “stultifying” and was greatly relieved when she finished. However, her parents did not permit her to attend Tekniska skolan (a design school); instead she was forced to undergo her last operation.
Elsie Dahlberg spent her recuperation period at the Fjällbacka home of her 80-year-old paternal grandmother Fanny. Her home was beside the sea and always remained a place where Elsie Dahlberg found inner peace.
In 1937 Elsie Dahlberg reapplied to Tekniska skolan and enrolled in its evening classes. She also worked at Statistiska centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden) in order to fund herself. Her teacher Edvin Ollers taught her the importance of blackening and line work. The painters Nicke Nixon, Gösta Hilfon, Kaisa and Erland Melanton, and the sculptors Margit Landin and Arne Jones could be found amongst her colleagues. Elsie Dahlberg and Margit Landin rented a room next door to the Oscar Church. Arne Jones lived at the home of Lars Ahlin, an author who also became a friend of hers. One day, when she was officially on sick-leave, Elsie Dahlberg visited the sculpture class and discovered her affinity for working with clay. She abandoned painting and gave up her job at Statistiska centralbyrån. To help with her finances the principal of Tekniska skolan organised a scholarship of 150 Swedish kroner, which allowed her to complete the school term without working. In June 1939 Elsie Dahlberg was hired by a relative to work in their printing office and advertising agency in Halmstad. She subsequently worked for a time at Jordbruksbanken.
In the spring of 1940 Elsie Dahlberg was encouraged by Bengt Eklund, a promising young actor, to complete her training. He was at the same time applying to Dramaten. She borrowed money from her parents in order to fund a train ticket to Stockholm in May 1940. That same month she travelled to Lidingö Brevik in order to care for an elderly couple called Bess. Mrs. Bess was the sister of Anders Wissler, a sculptor who in 1903 had created Tors Fiske located at Mariatorget in Stockholm. Whilst caring for the Bess couple Elsie Dahlberg received training in sculpting and also met Per Sundberg, an air force cadet, whom she went on to marry.
From 1940 to 1941 Elsie Dahlberg continued attending Tekniska skolan. In the autumn of 1941 she was accepted at Konstakademin (the Royal Academy of Art).
Selected work
Lena, bronze, 1962, erected in 1984 outside Västra Storgatan 27–29 in Kristianstad
World improver, Borlänge city hall Ljugarbänken, bronze, Vetlanda and Hackstavägen in Österåker
17 years, bronze, 1965, Stocksundstorp farm in Solna
Mother and child, bronze, 1965, Stocksundstorp farm in Solna
Mjölnare, bronze, 1971, an islet in Svartån in central Mjölby
The prodigal son, bronze, 1977, outside the armory at Södra Åsum's church Farewell on the polar ice, bronze, 1980, Finn Malmgren's plan in Hammarbyhöjden in Stockholm
Mothers, bronze, wall-mounted sculpture outside the entrance to the Tallgården retirement home in Enebyberg
