Liljevalchs Vårsalongen 2025

Liljevalch- Lokstallet Strömstad

Farmor Ebunola (Grandmother Ebunola

In 2025, Yemisi Wilson was selected to exhibit at Liljevalchs Vårsalongen, Sweden’s most prestigious open juried exhibition and a longstanding highlight of the country’s contemporary art calendar. Chosen from nearly 4,000 submissions, she presented Farmor Ebunola (Grandmother Ebunola), a portrait sculpture carved in Spanish alabaster with a diabase base. Inspired by memories of her grandmother, the work explores the relationship between portraiture, memory, and identity, and was acquired during the exhibition.

Stone as Memory

This body of work explores the dialogue between natural stone and the forms that lie within it. Rather than imposing a predetermined image, Yemisi Wilson responds to the color, fractures, texture, and character of each stone, allowing the material to guide the sculptural process. Human and animal forms emerge gradually from the raw surface, balancing refinement with the untouched qualities of the stone. Together, these works invite viewers to slow down and consider the relationship between permanence, memory, and the quiet presence held within natural materials.

|

The fact that the stone can have hidden surprises inside which only show when my chisel has dug into it. That’s what keeps me going I think, thats part of my personality and thats why this material is closest to me. – Yemisi