Nordiska Museet

Stripes, rhythm, direction is an exhibition at Nordiska Museet, open until the end of August. 

We see them all around us, they influence us. We may even be dependent on them. What a stripe means is very much linked to where, when and how it is used. The context is what adds meaning to the shape. But interpretation is also in the eye of the beholder: a single line can evoke completely different associations.

Stripes, rhythm, direction is an exhibition in two parts. In the big hall, you will see both everyday stripes and more exclusive stripes, new and old stripes, lengthwise and crosswise stripes, stripes from lots of different perspectives. The adjacent gallery is presenting a display of several hundred striped objects from Nordiska museet collections dating back to the 18th century.

Stripes can be found everywhere, even though we may not always think about them. On the clothes we wear, in the landscape which surrounds us, on buildings, in art, on furniture and textiles… They can be used in different ways and signal different things. They can be good or evil, point things out, demonstrate power or issue warnings. Stripes may be charged with political or ideological meaning, they can be rebellious or literary.

Come along on our tour of all things striped!