‘Humor’ in Södermalm, Sweden
When leaving the metro at Slussen train station, perhaps to see the Katarinahissen, Sweden’s oldest animated sign, or taking in the Gamla Stan, visitors will find that part of the square is corded off for some apparent maintenance. Most people pass by the area without giving a second glance, but those who do will notice a hidden piece of art.
The sculpture, called “Humor,” is of an old-styled man with a flat cap coming out of a manhole behind a cordoned-off yellow-white bucks. The statue was crafted by KG Bejeark, a well-known Swedish abstract sculptor. This work and several others were crafted in the 1970s after Bejeark abandoned his abstract style. The worker is modeled after Hasse Alfredson, a Swedish comedian and actor.
Bejeark had some problems displaying this work of art. His first attempt to get it installed in Alfredson’s birth town failed. Another attempt in Malmö, his hometown, was also unsuccessful.
Eventually, Stockholm accepted the proposal and installed the piece at Nybroplan near the park, which is why the sign says “Parkförvaltningens” or “Park administration.”
In 2010, the sculpture was removed because it interfered with a new tram line. A year later, it was installed at its current location near Slussen.
