Dalecarlian horses move into Göteborg Landvetter Airport

Since 2013, Göteborg Landvetter Airport has presented a number of artists on a wall in its departure hall.

"We want to be an airport that people look forward to visiting, that sparks our passengers' curiosity, and create a positive experience at the airport. We want to offer a good range of commercial products, world-class service and an inspiring atmosphere. This is where we meet, create, work, travel and experience – just one step between the population centres in this region and the world's metropolises. During the year, we expect nearly seven million passengers to travel via Göteborg Landvetter Airport. That is as many visitors as the Louvre in Paris has, so this really is a unique place," says Charlotte Ljunggren, airport director at Göteborg Landvetter Airport.

Shai Dahan, who was born in the US in 1979, is a contemporary artist who works with paintings, murals, illustrations and sculptures. Inspired by graffiti and skateboarding culture, he picked up his first can of spray paint when he was fourteen years old. Among other activities, he has taken part in well-known street art projects such as the Underbelly Project, Mom&Pop-izm and the New York City Ad Takeover. Since moving to Sweden in 2010, Dahan has devoted his energy full-time to art.
Dahan continues to exhibit internationally, including in New York, Los Angeles, England, Palestine and across Scandinavia, with solo exhibitions in Gothenburg and Stockholm. He has also installed large-scale sculptures including nine life-size horse sculptures in central Gothenburg in 2017 and a three-metre bronze sculpture in the city of Ulricehamn in the spring of 2018.

"The Dalecarlian horse (Dalahästen) is closely linked to Swedish traditions and is recognised immediately. By creating them in a larger format and in a vibrant array of colours, it speaks to people with different backgrounds and from different cultures, and everyone can identify with them in some way," says Shai Dahan.

"Usually, I make an impression on a big building or a wall. At Göteborg Landvetter Airport, I got the impression from all the millions of people who pass by my work either on their way out into the world or when they land in Gothenburg. The airport is a place where cultures meet, and the fact that I can be part of that with my art is very special and an honour for me. I received many warm smiles and happy greetings during the week I worked on site in the terminal. If people continue to smile when they see my art, then my wish has been satisfied and my job has been done," Dahan concludes.