Ida Ekblad: World’s Largest Metaphor

Ida Ekblad (b. 1980, Oslo) is one of the most compelling artists working today. Based in Oslo, Norway, her work spans multiple mediums, often blurring the lines between painting and sculpture.

Ekblad’s work is characterised by the recycling of materials and visual motifs drawn from a wide range of references from contemporary pop culture to folklore and Expressionist painting. She creates richly layered, textured oils on linen that pulse with energy and colour, then transforms these paintings into monumental sculptures in metal and glass.

This will be the artist’s first major solo exhibition in the UK, introducing Ekblad’s work to broad new audiences. Ekblad’s work has garnered international acclaim with recent solo shows at Kunsthaus Zürich, National Museum of Norway – Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, and Museo Tamayo, Mexico City.

For The Hepworth Wakefield, Ekblad will create a new series of oil paintings, exploring the dimensional and sculptural qualities of paint. Made of thick layers of oil paint, each work takes months to create, resulting in rich, luminous surfaces with an enamel-like finish that reveal the depth and brilliance of the medium. These will be displayed alongside her large-scale glass, cast iron, and hand-painted bronze sculptures, which bring her paintings into three dimensions, creating an exciting visual experience for visitors.

This exhibition is organised in collaboration with Kunsten, Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, where it will be presented in Summer 2027. Made possible by a generous grant from The AKO Foundation, a London-based philanthropic foundation.