This 60-minute in-depth documentary explores Leif Elggren’s art and his artistic activities over the past 50 years. Directed and produced by Erik Pauser and edited by Johan Söderberg, the film delves into Elggren’s unique creative journey, his boundary-pushing work across various mediums, and his impact on the contemporary art scene. Featuring rare archival footage, interviews, and insights into his most notable projects and collaborations, the documentary offers an intimate portrait of one of Sweden’s most enigmatic and influential artists. It is set to be released in the spring of 2025.
Leif Elggren is 73 years old and one of Sweden’s most interesting and idiosyncratic artists. He has been active as an artist for over fifty years. Leif comes from a working-class background in Linköping and has carved out his own unique place in the art world. His genre-defying art is deeply serious, socially critical, and often humorous. He has garnered significant attention both in Sweden and internationally, but he also remains an enigma and an underground icon. Leif has a remarkably youthful audience.
He began his career in Linköping, where he published Guru Papers a fanzine with poet Bruno K. Öijer, among others. This publication attracted the attention of the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) After he explored drypoint and painting—mediums that eventually evolved into performance art and installations.
Leif collaborates with a variety of artists, including Fatima Moallim, Marja-Leena Sillanpää, Thomas Liljenberg, Charlotte Engelkes, Erik Pauser and many others. His collaborations include working with Kent Tankred under the name Sons of God and with CM von Hausswolff, with whom he co-founded the conceptual nation Elgaland-Vargaland.