Maria Friberg: Somewhere Else
Somewhere Else (1998) is one of Maria Friberg’s earliest and best-known works. It exists in two versions: a video and a photograph. The photographic version has been displayed in the SSE Board Room since 2016 as part of the Board Room Project, an initiative that explores the history of SSE through contemporary perspectives.
The work depicts five men in business suits seated side by side at a table. However, the image is photographed from beneath the table, revealing only their legs, shoes, and glimpses of their ties. The familiar setting of a boardroom remains recognizable, yet the unusual perspective shifts attention away from faces, gestures, and authority.
The composition invites reflection on power, representation, and the ways in which professional and social roles are visually constructed. By positioning the viewer beneath the table, Friberg presents a perspective that is rarely seen and challenges conventional depictions of business environments and leadership.
In the video version, subtle movements between the figures introduce an additional layer of interpretation. The work explores themes of proximity, vulnerability, and human relationships within spaces traditionally associated with authority and control.
Since the 1990s, Maria Friberg has examined questions of masculinity, power, and identity. Her depictions of men in business attire often challenge established visual conventions and suggest emotional complexity and vulnerability.
SSE holds several works by Maria Friberg in its Permanent Collection, including Alongside Us #2 in Room Estrid, Changed Position in the North Staircase, Almost There #5 in the Senior Executive Vice President’s Office, and Somewhere Else in the Board Room.
Somewhere Else was donated to SSE by Per and Lena Josefsson.
Photo: Mikael Olsson (cropped).