Riding the Sign Painting Rollercoasters of Gröna Lund The term ‘Scandi design’ conjures up a specific set of aesthetics tropes: sleek minimalism, form following function, everything in its right place, Alvar Aalto, and for better or worse, IKEA. The clean lines of what we think of as classic Scandinavian design are arguably the antithesis of the delightful quirks and brushstrokes we associate with handpainted signage. Perhaps that’s why the practice has, for the last half-century or so, been largely absent in the Swedish capital of Stockholm—at least according to Sthlm Signs co-founder Pontus Bergman. Bergman stumbled upon sign painting in around 2014 when “it seemed out of this world to me that you could do this for a living”. He says: "There were once a lot of sign-makers and sign painters in Stockholm…[but] it has totally died out to the point where it’s almost non-existent”. Henrik Lindquist, Sthlm Signs’ other co-founder, explains: “The demolition [a government house building programme in the 1960s–70s that took down many old buildings], coupled with new ways of making signage, meant that hand painting just died out.” Enter Sthlm Signs Lindquist and Bergman started Sthlm Signs in 2016, with Bergman’s background in art and printing and Lindquist’s agency experience making for a perfect partnership. “I’d realised pretty quickly that if I wanted to work in sign painting, I’d have to first learn the trade, and on a personal level, I’d want to work with a companion”, says Bergman. “We were both between jobs, and shared a studio, so we had the space to try out sign painting when it was a new trade to us”, Lindquist adds. The early days of their work together were part practising, part educating potential clients about the craft, and its possibilities. “In the early days, it was very common for people to approach us without being able to put into words what they wanted”, Bergman reflects. “Sometimes, they’d seen hand-painted signage but had assumed it was vinyl stickers.” The silver lining, according to Bergman, was the freedom it gave the studio at the outset: “If we were in a city like London where you have a lot of professional sign painters, we wouldn’t have been able to take the same journey. We were in the From humble beginnings, the Sthlm Signs’ double-act is riding high with their work at the Gröna Lund theme park. Sam Roberts finds out more about the duo behind the brushes... ▲ The theme park wanted something old-school American for this Austrian beer garden; just one example of the strange and fun combinations that theme park sign design and painting allows Sam Roberts is the editor and publisher of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine), the world's only print and online publication dedicated to sign painting. He has written numerous books and articles on the craft and its history, and first became interested in the topic via the fading ‘ghost’ signs around London. SignLink subscribers can sign up with a special discount to the publication via bl.ag/signlink. Find more about Roberts and his work via: bl.ag ghostsigns.co.uk unique position of being totally new to the trade, but also taking on small jobs that allowed us to learn.” Since then, Sthlm Signs has worked with countless local businesses and brands including Brooklyn Brewery, Aperol, and iZettle. However, its most intriguing client is Gröna Lund, Stockholm’s oldest theme park. Making it ‘Real’ Gröna Lund opened in 1883 and is famous for its roller coasters; but it has also hosted the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and ABBA in its concert venue. Sthlm started working with Gröna Lund ADVENTURES IN SIGN PAINTING WITH SAM ROBERTS 32 Issue 255 - October / November 2024 www.signlink.co.uk
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