‘The Whooper Swan’ – when vision becomes reality

The story of the sculpture ‘The Whooper Swan’ – photographer Jonas Classon’s vision becomes reality in collaboration with Edurus

When you enter Galleri Tegnérlunden, Edurus’ art gallery at Tegnérlunden 14 in Stockholm, you are immediately greeted by the impressive ‘Song Swan’ sculpture in the foyer. It all started with a conversation between Edurus founder Marcus Skinnar and photographer Jonas Classon during a trip to Japan, and a vision quickly took shape.

Photo: Jonas Classon

Jonas’ journey with whooper swans began 15 years ago. He was seriously ill and the hospital in his home town outside Örebro involuntarily became his home for three years.

“I met a teacher at the hospital who has an interest in birds. He took me out to Tysslingen to look at whooper swans. My interest in photography goes back even further, and I started taking my camera to Tysslingen,” says Jonas Classon.

Like Jonas, the whooper swan has a story of coming back to life and the name of the sculpture, “Resilience”, is a tribute to the strength of both the whooper swan and Jonas.

“I see many similarities between the whooper swan and my own story. The whooper swan was almost extinct and now it is coming back, stronger than ever.

Today there are 10,000 pairs of whooper swans compared to 20 pairs 100 years ago. It’s an amazing return and I feel a personal connection with the whooper swan,” says Jonas Classon.

The vision of the whooper swan becomes reality

The whooper swan project began with in-depth discussions to flesh out Jonas’ vision.

“It involved a very rough drawing. For example, we didn’t include the details of the feathers as they turned out in the final result. These details are worked out later using a clay model,” explains Kristina Larsson, designer at Edurus.

Kristina Larsson, Edurus

The sculpture is based on Jonas’ previous work as a photographer, but also his personal experiences and artistic expression. The inspiration for certain shapes is a combination of photographs, but there is also a larger creative background in the form of Jonas’ early interest in sculptors.
Jonas has always drawn inspiration from great Swedish sculptors such as Carl Milles and Richard Brixel, and the opportunity to create a sculpture himself represents a continuation of his artistic development.

It is important to find the balance between technically feasible solutions and artistic expression in order to create a final product that is both impressive and faithful to its original inspiration.

“The project required close collaboration between myself, Eduru’s sculptors and designer Kristina. We spent many hours finding the right look and feel. Whooper swans have two-meter wingspans, so they are big. We had to discuss material choices and how much the material could support. During the process, Kristina has taken my thoughts and feelings and helped to realize my vision,” says Jonas Classon.

After many meetings between Kristina and Jonas, the collaboration with the stone sculptors in China took off. Edurus cherishes the impressive cultural heritage that has its roots in China, with a craft tradition stretching back over 3000 years. The Chinese heritage is characterized by a skill and a deep preservation of traditions, where the profession has been passed down from generation to generation.

“At Edurus, we’ve been doing this for a long time, so we’re used to the way of working. What’s different about collaborations is that it’s someone else’s vision that I have to help translate. For the whooper swan, we needed to find the expression that Jonas wanted together,” says Kristina Larsson.

The richness of detail

The Whooper Swan is impressive with its strong presence, it is handmade in marble and has well-defined details. The characteristic wingtips and the graceful curve of the neck give the sculpture a sense of movement and life. A closer look reveals the gold leaf that subtly highlights the swan’s beak, which is otherwise made of diabase. The sculpture is not only a tribute to the natural beauty of the whooper swan, but also a symbol of strength, freedom and return.

“Stone and other materials offer incredible variety and possibilities. Through different processes, we can bring out a range of colors and emotions, balancing between hard and soft. There are a multitude of techniques to combine to achieve different end results,” says Kristina Larsson.

The details around the eye were particularly important and a lot of work went into finding the right expression that makes the swan feel alive. A complex task was to create the feathers on the swan’s body and make the head look realistic.

“Sculpting the feathers in clay during the testing phase is one thing, but it’s quite another to do it in marble,” says Kristina Larsson.

The beak is honed to become a natural and soft part of the swan that does not stick out and the gold leaf adorning the beak is to mimic Jonas’ photographs.

The plate, on which the whooper swan is placed, is designed and milled to mimic water. It creates the illusion of the swan sinking down and being surrounded by water.

The plate symbolizes darkness, which represents both the extinction of the whooper swan and Jonah’s time of illness as a child. The swan placed on top of the plate represents victory over darkness, mental strength and hope.

Craft and art go hand in hand

Jonas emphasizes the importance of creating a sculpture that is both real and abstract. For him, the key is to find a balance to allow an openness of interpretation to the viewer’s own feelings and thoughts.

“I think the best sculptures are those that are a bit abstract. We have chosen not to make an exact replica but to let there be a certain degree of abstraction in the form and expression,” adds Jonas Classon.

“Eduru’s commitment to realizing my vision and the skilled craftsmanship of Eduru’s stone sculptors have made this possible.

I am grateful for the artistic freedom they have given me to create something I am so proud of,” says Jonas Classon.

The exhibition in March 2024 at the Edurus Art Gallery at Tegnérlunden 14, where the whooper swan is unveiled and Jonas’ book about whooper swans is launched, was a success. When the exhibition opened, it didn’t take many seconds before the whooper swan was sold for SEK 1.25 million.

“It was really great that it sold so quickly. It’s a confirmation that the work we put in has reached people on a deeper level. And it felt like a symbolic completion of my journey and that of the whooper swan,” says Jonas Classon.

🔗 Follow the link for a video from the exhibition