‘Overstepping’ dwells in the unique interpersonal dynamics that exist between parent and child, as well as artist and curator; presenting a unique circumstance where both dynamics are in play at once.

Both parent-child and artist-curator relationships are characterised by reciprocal cycles of each asserting their will upon the other, ideally in a context of mutual trust and care. In such an intimate dynamic of good intentions, parents, matured children, and curators alike will often cross usual social boundaries, meddling and interfering in what would normally be ‘none of their business’.

Though fraught with ethical considerations, dynamics of caring interference and willingness to ‘overstep’ are fertile grounds for complex and perspective-shifting interactions.

“This project is an exhibition of my father, Kai Hagberg’s, paintings, which I, present from my position as a professional curator, a fellow artist and also his daughter.

My father is a prolific painter; with a significant output of portraits of imaginary women. Often producing more than a hundred works a year, across his production emerges an uncanny reoccurrence of familiar figures shifting slightly in their facial expressions and positions between works. Over the years, I have become intrigued by these common figures that run through his paintings and in early 2024, I proposed a collaborative project, which he graciously agreed to.

Over a period of almost two years, I asked my father to paint freely on rolls of un-stretched canvas, sending me the works as he completed them. From a total of 57 works received, I made my selection – independently deciding the cropping and groupings of the works in relation to one another. Often drastically altering the dimensions of the works, cutting them back to a fraction of their size, I’ve chosen to highlight specific details and merge various works created separately at different points in time together into new amalgamations.

Working far beyond the usual allowances of a curator, this exhibition presents my subjective reflections from an informal and ongoing longitudinal study of a creative practice which I have now observed for more than thirty years.” – Anni Hagberg

This project is an exhibition of my father, Kai Hagberg’s, paintings, which I, present from my position as a professional curator, a fellow artist and also his daughter."
Anni Hagberg