Kosta Art Gallery

Writer: Helena Bergström

Kosta Art Gallery is an art gallery in the Glasriket region of Småland, showing glass art by various famous designers. You don't have to have a specific interest in glass or art to appreciate this. We were completely fascinated!

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The Kosta Art Gallery is located in an art centre designed by Bruno Mathsson in the early 1950s. Kosta Boda has a long tradition of producing art glass, and there are continuous exhibitions of current artists.

Kosta Art Gallery is located in Kosta in Lessebo municipality, Kronoberg county in Småland. From Växjö you drive about 30 miles east to get here.

Exhibition: Glass art by Lena Bergström

When we visited the Kosta Art Gallery, there was an exhibition by Lena Bergström, one of Sweden's most award-winning and prolific designers. We were lucky enough to meet Lena for a little chat. What an energising meeting!

Lena, who not only designs glass but also textiles and jewellery, is a woman full of enthusiasm. She told us how she uses the nature of Norrland - especially birch - as inspiration for her glass creations.

The exhibition of Lena's art glass is on display until 6 March 2022. Here you can see, for example, her wild and unruly 'anemones'.

Another form that recurs in Lena's work is 'planets', which are all unique and vary in colour and shape.

In the next picture you can see the "Havana" series, named after the shape of cigars. The adjacent sign states that "the villains in Donald Duck used to smoke these cartridge-shaped cigars that exploded".

More glass artists at Kosta Art Gallery

In addition to the temporary exhibition of Lena Bergström, glass art by several other designers was on display. We were particularly taken with the work of Bertil Vallien, who is described in the gallery as Sweden's most famous glass artist. Bertil creates works with a dreamy feel, and is known for his long and almost magical glass boats.

We also fell in love with the work of designer Kjell Engman, described by the gallery as a glass artist with boundless imagination and a love of storytelling. You can see some of the delicious creations below, and some others in the top image of the post.

More art at Kosta Art Hotel

If you want to see more art, check out the Kosta Art Hotel, which is a short walk from the Kosta Art Gallery. The entire hotel is filled with glass art - the entrance, the restaurant and the famous Glass Bar. In the entrance you can see one of Bertil Vallien's large glass boats.

No matter where you turn, new works and creations are appearing everywhere.

Perhaps the coolest setting is the Glass Bar, with its deep blue bar and beautiful glass stalactites. The bar is designed by Kjell Engman, whose art we also saw at Kosta Art Gallery.

Want to see how glass art is created?

Are you curious to see how glass art is created? Opposite the Kosta Art Gallery is Kosta Hytta, where glassblowing is demonstrated for tourists while a guide explains the process and the different steps. Really interesting and very educational!

Want to shop for glass art or glass?

It is of course possible to shop for glass art when visiting Kosta. If you want to buy drinking glasses, there is also a huge selection in the Kosta outlet.

Things to see and do near Kosta Art Gallery

There is much more to things to see and do in Kosta and in the rest of Glasriket. We can recommend the delicatessen Kosta Delikatess, the toy and collector's shop Margarethas dockskåp, Christmas market in Kosta, hyttsill and to try out for yourself that blowing glass at Kosta Glass Centre.

If you like nature and adventure, we can also recommend Kosta Safari Park, Sweden Zipline and nature experiences at Vidinge farm. In addition, it is interesting to visit James Bond Museum, Lessebro hand paper mill and of course all the less charming glassworks in the area.

All our top tips for holidays in Småland

Facts about Kosta Art Gallery

Address: Stora vägen 96 in Kosta, Småland
Opening hours: Usually Monday-Friday 10:00-17:00 and Saturday-Sunday 10:00-16:00 (2021). For deviating opening hours, public holidays etc, see the gallery's website.
Read more: You can find more information at the gallery's website

READ MORE: Things to do in Glasriket - 25 sights and experiences
READ MORE: Things to do in Småland - tips, sights and experiences

7 Comments

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Ama de casa says:

What a wonderful art exhibition! And the chairs in the Glass Bar were so delicious 🙂 .

I have travelled around a lot in Glasriket (Anders' parents and siblings moved to Kalmar from Skellefteå), but I have not seen the glass exhibition until now, in your pictures. So thanks for the visit there!

18 November 2021 - 10:05

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad that you travelled around in Glasriket a bit! Very nice and varied to travel around here! And fun that we could show something new then! 😉
  
  18 November 2021 - 20:26
  
tvättställsblandare says:

Hi great pictures wow what a job

18 November 2021 - 13:39

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Thank you! 😀
  
  18 November 2021 - 20:26
  
Anta Snaque says:

Thank you for great pictures of amazing glass! Umbrellas, hot air balloons, boats, and everything else ... well, you just get so HAPPY!
Some years ago, I attended a lecture given by Bertil Vallien here in town. Very interesting.

18 November 2021 - 16:38

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  How nice that you like our pictures! We also liked the art very much! Glad you heard a lecture by Bertil Vallien, his glass art is really captivating!
  
  18 November 2021 - 20:28
  
BP says:

Says AMA - the orange chairs in the bar take the prize. It's actually really fun to compare Swedish glass art with Czech glass art. Or rather, there is no comparison.
My favourite things here are the hot air balloons, the vases with flowers in them, the umbrellas and the big things hanging from the ceiling. The "thing" on the right is really cool.

18 November 2021 - 21:00

Kosta Art Gallery - exciting art in the Glass Kingdom

Writer: Helena Bergström