Annika Berglund

"My work develops through a dialogue with different materials. Over time I have been working on different themes, but the interaction with the possibilities and constraints of the given material is what shapes the final result.

Initially I worked exclusively in clay, a very malleable and responsive material, initially making smooth and pared down shapes that evolved into looser work where the marks of the making enabled me to let the clay speak with its own voice.

When I added bronze and glass I found that they had their own vocabulary, possibilties and constraints that inspired me to move in new directions with my visual language.

The issue of energy consumption in the making of my art came into focus when I participated in an exhibition about global warming and I resolved to look at other media that would be less energy hungry.

I found that fiber and felt allowed for 3D sculptural applications, a range of possibilities for surface treatments and the potential of achieving a depth of colour that I found very satisfying.

During the pandemic this new medium turned out to be well suited for making in the domestic setting, but also appealed to me due to the symbology of how these materials come together.

In felting fluffy wisps of wool and are put together loosely, wetted down with soapy water and agitated to create a very strong fabric of interlocked fibres. The wool fibres, through soap, water, rubbing and being knocked around, create connections that hold them together so tightly they can no longer be pulled apart and they become a unified whole."

Swedish born artist Annika Berglund graduated from NCAD in 2010. Her career includes four solo exhibitions and over 40 group exhibitions nationally and abroad. She spent a year as resident artist in NCAD (National College of Art and desig, Dublin),which culminated in the solo exhibition Materiality in the Olivier Cornet Gallery in 2014.


Annika has won several awards including theIreland Crafts Council's price for Best Craft in the Garden 2008 and the National University of Ireland Art and Design Prize 2010. Annika has created sculptural art work for over 20 years. Initially working in ceramics, she added glass and bronze to her means of expression around 2010. Just before Covid struck, she was looking for less energy hungry means of expression and found that felted wool suited her way of working and visual language.


She spent 2020 and 2021 skilling up in felt and fibre arts. One of her earliest felt pieces depicted the corona virus and was acquired by the National Museum of Ireland. Her latest solo show in 2021 was called Interlocked, featuring Felt work and Joomchi (an ancient Korean art form featuring "felted" paper). Lately Annika has been very active in the guild of Feltmakers Ireland and has contributed as editor and contributor to the book "Exploring Irish Wool For Feltmaking".


Annika Berglund is represented by the Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin, Ireland.

Art Education

2019 - 2023
An extensive range of textile art and felting workshops
2006 - 2010
Bachelor of Design (Honours),NCAD Dublin, Ireland
2004 - 2006
Higher Diploma (BTEC) in Fine Art and Ceramics, Bray Senior College  
1995 - 2005
Travelled occasionally to attend a range of shorter specialized ceramics courses in Britain, France and Italy
2002 - 2003
Certificate in Visual Education, IADT, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
1987 - 1990
Bachelor of Art at Stockholm University, Literature and French

Awards

2011
Winner of the Hungry Hill Gallery Award
2010
The National University Ireland Art and        Design Prize 2010
2008
Best Craft in the Garden at Bloom 2008,        awarded by The Crafts Council of Ireland
Commissions

2019
Commission of commemorative bronze plaque for Roche Ireland
2012
Commissioned mixed media piece for Dublin Musical Youth Foundation
2011
Commissioned to create trophies for Blackrock Animation Festival 2011
2006-2010
Winner of design competition for a travelling trophy for the talent competition Scléip held by Gaelscoileanna Teo, with runner up prizes for 5 subsequent years.

Publications
Editor and contributor to:
'Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking, Feltmakers Ireland'.

Memberships
Feltmakers Ireland Committee, Treasurer, admin for wool project

Collections

Craft Council of Ireland Collection.
Microsoft Ireland Collection.
Milltown Gallery Sculpture Garden.
Roche Ireland Collection.
National University of Ireland (NUI) Collection.
Private collections.
Solo Exhibitions

2021
11 Nov - 3 Dec: 'Interlocked', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin. 

2014
'Materiality', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin. 

2006 
'Sea Change', Signal Arts Centre, Bray. Co          Wicklow.

Group Exhibitions

2023

Transience, with ArtNetdlr, Dun Laoghaire.
My favourite artwork, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
A Meeting of Hands, The Galway Wool Co-op, Athenry Mart Centre Co. Galway.
Wonderful WOOL, IFA, Region 14, Larne Museum & Arts Centre.
Arbour Essences in Anthropocene Dublin, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
Connect, with ArtNetdlr, Dun Laoghaire.
HERE/NOW, with ArtNetdlr, Dun Laoghaire.
2022

Soft Things in Hard Times, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin. 
Pause, with ArtNetdlr, Dun Laoghaire.
Building Bridges, Feltmakers Ireland, Visitor’s Centre, Phoenix Park.
Sculpture in Context, Botanic Gardens Dublin.
Timpeallacht, Kilcoe Studios, Kilcoe, Co. Cork
Emergence, with ArtNetdlr, Dun Laoghaire.
Memento, Looking back, Looking foward, Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
2021

Colour Our World, Feltmakers Ireland exhibition Visitor’s Centre, Phoenix Park.
Sculpture in Context, Botanic Gardens Dublin.
Millcove Gallery - Summer Exhibition.
2020

On Paper, group show at Olivier Cornet Gallery
‘Drawing on Don Quixote', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin. Group show curated by Olivier Cornet and first presented at National Opera House (Oct 2019, Opera Festival Wexford), then at VUE Contemporary Art Fair (Nov 2019, RHA Dublin)
2018-2017

'2°C' group show, VUE National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery (November 2017). Shown at the Olivier Cornet Gallery from January to March 2018.

2016

Vue 2016, Elévation group show, National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery.
2015

'Hopscotch', winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery.
'In their element', group show with Freda Rupp, Lesley Kelly and Sinéad Glynn.
VUE 2015, National Contemporary Art Fair at the RHA, with the Olivier Cornet Gallery.
2014

'Reflections', Christmas/winter group show, Olivier Cornet Gallery.
2012

'Convergence', Olivier Cornet Gallery, Dublin.
2010

'Art of Clay', Gallery Zozimus, Francis Street, Dublin.

2009


Ceramics at the Hallward, Merrion Sq., Dublin

'Sculpture in Context', National Botanical Gardens, Dublin.

'Art of Clay', Gallery Zozimus, Francis Street, Dublin.

'Sculpture in Context', National Botanical Gardens, Dublin.

2008

Ceramics Ireland Show, Dalkey Castle. Co. Dublin.
Plan Expo at the RDS, Dublin.
Sculpture in Context. National Botanical Gardens. Dublin.
Sculpture Garden at Bloom 2008.
2007

'Sculpture in Context', National Botanical Gardens, Dublin.
Ceramics Ireland Show, Dalkey Castle. Co. Dublin.
Plan Expo at the RDS, Dublin.
2006

'Sculpture in Context', National Botanical Gardens, Dublin.
Ceramic Ireland Show, Dalkey Castle, Co. Dublin.
Plan Expo at the RDS, Dublin.
The Collect Art Exhibition, Dalkey Castle, Co. Dublin.
7 Ceramic Artists @ the OSB Galleries, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.
2005

Ceramics Ireland Show, Dalkey Castle. Co. Dublin.
Plan Expo at the RDS. Dublin.
Christmas Show at the OSB Gallery, Enniskerry. Co. Wicklow.