Maria Friberg: Changed Position

Changed Position by Maria Friberg depicts a man seated on a pile of shirts, his gaze distant and contemplative. The work can be understood as part of Friberg’s ongoing exploration of identity, power, and vulnerability.

Throughout her artistic practice, Friberg has examined how social roles and power structures shape individual experience. Rather than presenting authority as stable or unquestioned, her works often portray moments of uncertainty, reflection, and emotional exposure.

Maria Friberg’s photographs and video works are visually rich and carefully staged, while at the same time inviting critical reflection. Her images frequently depict well-dressed men in unexpected situations that challenge conventional ideas of masculinity, power, and status.

Examples include works from the series Still Lives (2003–2007), in which a man reclines on a pile of crushed automobiles, and Days of Eyes (2014), where figures appear partially absorbed into dense botanical environments. In these works, symbols of authority and control are placed in unfamiliar contexts, opening up alternative ways of understanding identity and social roles.

Changed Position was donated to SSE Art Initiative by Mats Arnhög, Maria Friberg, and Galleri Sandström Andersson (GSA).