Monica Sjöö, The Goddess at Avebury and Silbury, 1978 Monica Sjöö, The Goddess at Avebury and Silbury, 1978 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet

Monica Sjöö

The Great Cosmic Mother

Malmö, 23.3 2024 – 1.9 2024

Art, politics and spirituality are inseparable in Swedish-British artist Monica Sjöö’s oeuvre. With a deep commitment to women’s rights and environmentalism, she fought uncompromisingly for freedom and became a key figure in the British women’s liberation movement.

Monica Sjöö (1938–2005) was born in Härnösand but spent most of her adult life in Bristol. Her commitment to women’s liberation and environmentalism were inseparable from her inner conviction of being part of a cosmic greater whole, which she expressed in “The Great Mother”, whose essence, according to Sjöö, permeates both nature and being.

“The Great Cosmic Mother” is the first retrospective museum exhibition of Monica Sjöö’s oeuvre. Presenting some fifty works from Sjöö’s entire practice, it spans from monumental paintings to political posters and banners, drawings, and archival material.

We encounter works that were all created to promote social change and caused controversy as well as cries for censorship at the time. Their subject matter and messages are just as relevant today.

“Monica Sjöö: The Great Cosmic Mother” is organised in close collaboration with Modern Art Oxford. After having premiered at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the exhibition was shown at Modern Art Oxford before travelling to Moderna Museet Malmö.

Curators: Jo Widoff, Moderna Museet and Amy Budd, Modern Art Oxford.

Monica Sjöö, Cosmos Within Her Womb, 1971 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö
Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, Past and Present, 1969 © Moderna Museet. Photo: Prallan Allsten/Moderna
museet
Monica Sjöö, Cretan Mysteries, 1980 © Moderna Museet. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, The Goddess at Avebury and Silbury, 1978 Monica Sjöö, The Goddess at Avebury and Silbury, 1978 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, Woman Beautiful Love/Tigress, 1972 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö) Photo: Krister Hägglund/Skellefteå museum
Monica Sjöö, Amazon Warrior Women, 1999 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, House–Wives, 1973 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/
Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, St. Non’s Well – Holy Grail, 1996 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
Monica Sjöö, Birth and The Struggle for Liberation, 1970 © The Estate of Monica Sjöö. Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet
painting with woman giving birth
Moncia Sjöö, God giving Birth, 1968 Photo: ©Museum Anna Nordlander
two paintings on wall
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter
wall with posters
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter
installation view with paintings
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter
installation view with paintings
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter
exhibition room with paintings
Monica Sjöö, Installation view, 2024 Photo: Helene Toresdotter