Cilla Ramnek commissioned to create an artistic intervention at the SSE Library
Artist Cilla Ramnek has been commissioned to create an artistic intervention for five new group study rooms at the SSE Library. Designed by Ivar Tengbom, the library opened in 1926 and was renovated in 2026. At the heart of the project, celebrating five five pioneering women, is fuse beads (pärlplattor) - a material deeply rooted in Swedish everyday life and childhood creativity.
The commission celebrates five pioneering women at the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), whose names have been given to the rooms: Märta Sigrid Löfdahl, the School’s first female alum (1912); Giséle Asplund, the School’s first female PhD student (1974); Anne Wibble, alum and Sweden’s first female Minister for Finance (1991); Carin Holmquist, the School’s first female professor (2001); and Magdalena Andersson, alum and Sweden’s first female Prime Minister (2021). The rooms are used daily by students. The project is part of SSE’s ongoing efforts to integrate art into the academic environment.
The jury selected Cilla Ramnek’s proposal for its high artistic quality, well-developed concept, and strong connection to the theme of the commission. Ramnek’s design is based on weaving as a metaphor for both artistic and intellectual creation. In her artistic practice, and in the submitted proposal, Ramnek works with fuse beads, a material deeply rooted in Swedish everyday culture and creative traditions. In the proposal, the woven fabric becomes a representation of what takes place in an academic environment: thoughts, experiences, and perspectives are brought together to create new knowledge.
The artwork is titled TEXERE II, and the metaphor is reinforced by the fact that the Latin verb texere means “to weave or “to join together,” and is the origin of the words text and textile. It also carries the extended meaning of constructing or fabricating something with elaborate care. Ramnek’s artistic design draws on this shared root and highlights the connection between the work of the hand and the work of the mind – between creating and learning.
The commission was awarded through an invited selection process in which a group of artists, illustrators, and designers were invited to submit proposals. The final decision was made by a jury consisting of representatives from the Library, SSE Art Initiative, and the student group Art Division.
About Cilla Ramnek
Born in 1959, Cilla Ramnek is an artist based in Stockholm. Her work combines artistic, design, and craft traditions and knowledge. Color and pattern are central to her expression, often drawing on references from everyday life. Ramnek is particularly known for her work with fuse beads, a medium she has developed into a distinctive artistic language. She draws inspiration from folk culture, modernism, architecture, and Swedish design traditions. Her work is characterized by playfulness, precision, and conceptual clarity, using simple materials to explore larger questions.
In Stockholm, Ramnek has created, among other works, the iconic floor design at Café Saturnus on Eriksbergsgatan. She is currently working on the art for the future Järla metro station in Stockholm’s expanding subway network. There, too, her work is inspired by textile references.
The artistic intervention has been made possible through a donation from Ulrika Werdelin.
For questions or further information, please contact:
Clara Lindström, SSE Library
clara.lindstrom@hhs.se
+46 738 42 13 90
Tinni Ernsjöö Rappe, SSE Art Initiative
tinni.rappe@hhs.se
+46 708 36 66 41
Cilla Ramnek, Märta, 2026.
