Perspectives from Gallerists. Interview with Karin Roy Andersson from Four Gallery

Founded in 2010, Four is both a gallery and a workshop that was initially located in Gothenburg, Sweden and has recently relocated to Umeå in northern Sweden. The collective comprises four members: Karin Roy Andersson, Hanna Liljenberg, Ammeli Engström, and Jenny Jansson.

Today, we are speaking with Karin Roy Andersson, an artist with a rich practice, who is also coordinating Four’s gallery activities with support from her fellow members. Four is a dynamic platform for discussions about art, jewellery, work, and inspiration. It aims to communicate the essence of contemporary jewellery art and engage with jewellery as a medium through a broad spectrum of artistic expressions and approaches.

In this interview, Karin shares the story of how Four was conceived, the philosophy behind its exhibitions, the balance between artistic practice and gallery management, and her thoughts on the evolution of contemporary jewellery.



Could you explain how Four Gallery was initially built? Was it first conceived as an organisation with a workspace, or did it start as an exhibition space?
Four started with an idea of creating a collective workspace where we could also show our work. We realised later that the four of us starting the project maybe had different ideas of what it would be like and how much time we wanted to invest. I started to feel quite strongly that I wanted to also invite other artists to make exhibitions, and slowly, the gallery part grew into an important part of Four.


Your approach seems to emphasise a sensory and intimate experience, with the importance of touching and wearing pieces. How important is this hands-on connection in your exhibitions?
It is very important. Of course, art can be experienced behind glass or even in pictures, but I would say that the closer you get to it, the bigger the chances that the piece will have an impact on you - especially when it comes to art jewellery. The weight, the touch, how it moves, the sound or even the smell is a part of the experience.


As artists, how do you balance your time between your artistic practice, gallery management, and networking?
Four has, as the name implies, four members: me (Karin Roy Andersson), Hanna Liljenberg, Ammeli Engström and Jenny Jansson. I’m the one who is in charge of the gallery but I get help from the others when they have time and energy for it.

I don’t think I can answer the question. To start with; how much is 100%? I love working and I’m probably working more than a ”normal” 100%. But on the other hand, a lot of what I do maybe wouldn’t be labelled as work if you asked someone with a more conventional profession.

Sometimes I work with the gallery, sometimes with my own practice. I do what I feel is necessary to do at that time, and I don’t think too much about which category the work belongs to.

Opening of 'Caution, Sharp Edges' by Deganit Stern Schocken at Four


How would you describe the artist-gallerist relationship, and what roles do each play? How do you expect an artist to approach your gallery for representation?
I’m doing what I’m doing because I want to work with fun, inspiring, meaningful and developing things. It’s as simple as that. I’m not in this business to make big money, and for me, it is not worth it to work with people that I don’t have a good chemistry with. That applies to both relations with the artists and the other galleries I work with.

Then it is, of course, also about the work the artists make, and even if I try to show different kinds of expressions and styles, it’s my subjective opinion that makes the final decision. I have to really like the work in order to present it to an audience in a good way, but it’s important to remember that another gallerist might have a completely different taste.


You have a permanent jewellery collection and regularly host solo exhibitions spotlighting individual artists. What happens to the exhibited pieces afterwards—do you keep them as part of your collection, or do they go back to the artists?
Sometimes, we keep some of them, but lately, a lot of them have been sent back since the gallery is moving to a new city - Umeå in northern Sweden. The gallery will not have a physical space during the first part of the year but the plan is to open again next August and to show pieces and maybe also exhibitions digitally during the first part of the year.


Winter landscape at Four Gallery's new location in the city of Umeå.



Do you follow a specific artistic guideline that helps you select which exhibitions to showcase and the gallery’s permanent collection?
No, not really. We aim to show a wide spectra of artistic expressions and approaches, but mostly, I would say that I go by gut-feeling.


You are supported by Kulturrådet. Do you feel that the Swedish government plays a strong role in supporting galleries that promote arts and crafts?
Yes, absolutely! This gives ut the possibility to make exhibitions with a high artistic value without having to worry too much about if the pieces will sell or not. It also makes it possible for us to pay the artists an artist fee for making the exhibitions.


Do you collaborate with other galleries or institutions, either in Sweden or internationally? In yes, which collaboration is/ was the most significant and stimulating?
Yes, we have been collaborating with many other galleries, but we have a close relationship with Platina, the other contemporary jewellery gallery in Sweden.


You’re offering virtual exhibition tours. Has this format found its audience? Have pieces been sold through this digital format?
I think the tours we offered during the pandemic lost their attraction post covid, but we have made digital exhibitions and become more active on social medias and we continuously sell pieces online.


Perseverance, Strength, and a Playful Mindset exhibition by Tore Svensson at Four



Four Gallery was founded 15 years ago. How do you feel about contemporary jewellery today? How has it evolved over the years, and where is it heading?
It is hard to see the development when you are in the middle of it, but I would say a lot of things have happened since we started. It feels like some parts of the scene have been growing a lot while others may have taken a few steps back. I’m happy to see new young buyers but I would hope there would be more, but most of all, I would like to see more knowledge about contemporary jewellery outside our sphere. I think it is very important that we all try to talk about it, show it, and try to get the media to write about it.

I have met too many people who even work with art or culture that have no idea of what contemporary jewellery is. I have also been thinking a lot about the word ”jewellery”. I think it is difficult for people in general to see past that word once it’s out. Maybe we should describe what we do with other words to start with? Wearable art, body-related sculptures, etc?


Finally, what are some of the key events or exhibitions that Four Gallery has planned for the near future?
As I mentioned before, the gallery is moving to Umeå, so this will be our main focus next year. We have four exhibitions planned for the autumn; three solo shows with Florian Weichsberger, Ketli Tiitsar and Esteban Erosky and a duo show with Solveig Labba and Monica Blind Påve. We are also involved in a pilot project called ”the Baltic Jewellery Festival”, and in February, there will be three exhibitions with Swedish artists in Vilnius that we have co-curated.


Opening of Eclectic Escapism by Jenny Edlund at Four