The Horses Are Dead

I am a fairly active member of online discussion forums around Swedish American culture, and Swedish culture in America. (There is a difference.)

Painting by Anders Zorn, and slaughtered horses.

This photo, or one similar, was posted in one of those groups. You see a painting by Anders Zorn, on display at Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Below the painting are wooden horses, cut up and packaged as you would meat for sale in a supermarket.

Closeup of the dead horses.

Swedish American members of the online group were furious. They found the display disrespectful. Swedish members of the group, myself included, didn’t see disrespect but rather interpreted the display as a commentary on culture and art as commodities.

I find the difference interesting. It is as if symbols of Swedish culture are more important to those who don’t inhabit Swedish culture anymore.

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