Gestalten

A bookstore attached to a museum is like the cherry atop an ice cream sundae: often saved for last, and savored to the last drop. The Bookstore of the Gothenburg Museum of Art is no different. Among the usual baubles and take-away souvenirs, the shop offers an au courant selection of illustration, photography, music, art and film books for the hundreds of visitors that filter through the museum every week. Below, manager Fredrik von Zweigbergk gives us an inside glimpse into the day-to-day mechanics of running the gorgeously-kept store.


How did the Bookstore of Gothenburg Museum of Art happen?
Once upon a time, the Gothenburg Museum of Art was lacking a shop and the city of Gothenburg was lacking a bookstore for illustrated books. In late 2001 we filled these needs.

Unexpected bestseller?
Last year a local publisher walked into the bookstore and asked if we, by and chance, were interested in selling his latest children’s book – consisting of animals that moved once the pages were turned. We weren’t sure, but ordered five copies. Today we have sold 385 copies of that book.

Unexpected flop?
We’re still trying to sell a book on Picasso that we ordered en masse for an exhibition at the Museum in 2006.

Explain how you curate your selection of books.
Our assortment of books is the backbone our store and we work very hard at getting it right. Luckily, we get a lot of help from our customers and the publishers’ representatives and the web is invaluable.

Gothenburg has its own distinct design scene, as does Sweden in general. How would you describe it?
Gothenburg is filled with creative talent, very much thanks to the schools (design, art, architecture, photography, music and film) that are situated here. Friends of Gestalten can meet some of the Gothenburgian talent in Once Upon a Chair, in which Brikolör is included and in Iceland, distributed by Gestalten and produced by the talented artistic duo SEEK.

What other items do you carry in the shop besides books?
Besides products related to the Museum we carry a large selection of magazines and products that helps our customers to be creative (for instance notebooks and lomography cameras). We also have a nice section for kids.

Book on your night stand right now?
Since I recently moved I don’t have a nightstand right now, but the floor next to the bed is packed with books. Last night I read The Fall by Camus and tonight I plan to start reading Le Clézio’s book on film.

Most played song on your shop’s soundtrack?
We are preparing ourselves for this year’s Way Out West (three-day music festival in GBG) by listening to some of the booked acts – Girls, the XX, M.I.A and Panda Bear among others. We also listen a lot to Al Green, who we don’t think will visit us this year.

We have to ask: What is your favorite Gestalten book?
Right now, I and our customers are into Urban Interventions. I also tend to return to Hoefner and Sachs’ Piccolo Mondo – the art of these guys is mind-blowing.

What is your design fetish?
Things that are connected with writing and reading; paper and coffee cups, pencils, notebooks, books, typewriters, magazines, armchairs, rubbers, table lamps.

Independent bookstores are becoming a rarity. How does being attached to a museum change this?
It’s a win-win situation. The museum brings extra customers to the bookstore and the bookstore brings extra visitors to the museum. Being located at the museum also strengthens the identity of the bookstore.

Furthermore, being independent is an advantage since we’re able to adapt to the changing needs of our customers much faster than large chain stores are and getting to know our clientele in order to find them the right books for them.