Born in Stockholm 1956. Studied at Konstfack, furniture and interior architecture, Stockholm 1979-84. Professor at HDK, School of design & crafts, Gothenburg University, 1995-96. Associate of The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts since 2011.
Mats Theselius works in the borderland between art and design. He has many years of work experience through various assignments, collaborations as well as Mats own production. His list of works includes design, architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture, exhibitions, scenography, installations, books, film and music.
Representation
Mats Theselius is represented at the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Malmö Museum, Sundsvalls Museum, Designmuseum Denmark, Copenhagen, Russian State Art Collection, Moscow, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Cologne, The Museum of Arts and Design, New York.
Prizes & awards
IKEA scholarship, 1984.
Svensk Form's travel grant, 1989.
Utmärkt Svensk Form from Swedish Form, 1991 and 1995.
Comfort Prize, Du Pont, Cologne, 1991.
Dagens Nyheter's design prize, 1991.
Bruno Mattsson prize, 1997.
Torsten and Wanja Söderberg's design prize, 1997.
International Yearbook of Design, Authentics, 1998.
Red point, Design innovations, Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, 1998.
POM from Brühl & Sippold, 1998.
Chair of the year, Sköna Hem, 2001.
Objekt for Minus Tio, Wallpaper, Design Awards, 2011.
Raval floor tiles collection for Marrakech Design, Elle Interiör, 2011.
Lauritz icon award, the Bruno armchair. Recidence magazine 2014.
Design profile of the year. Swedish Furniture Parliament 2018.
The Prince Eugen medal 2019
Texts about Mats
Möbler/Furniture Mats Theselius, text by artist Andreas Gedin 1990
Broplan, Mölndal. A project by Mats Theselius & Håkan Johnsson, text Daniel Hjorth. Statens konstråd, 2000
A nomad on the run, text by John Petter Nilsson, Ekelund/Tandan 1991
From the inner outskirts, the journal Form, text by editor Ulf Beckman 1991
European Masters edition Atrium, Barcelona, editor Francisco Asensio Cerver 1992
Tracing the source of imagination, text by Shinji Kawakami, Interior Design no. 114. JID, Japan, 1994
Exhibition catalog Kamrat Mats. Texts by Jan Åman and Marina Timofejewa, Russian Ministry of Culture & Swedish Embassy, Moscow 1994
Excalibur text by artist Andreas Gedin Danish architect magazine ARK no. 10 1994
A chair is born, by editor Ulf Beckman Form Magazine 1995
Low Budget, Der discrete charme des Alltäglichen, text by Gerrit Krol, Interni magazine Dec 1995
Kraschnyj Ugol texts by Catti Lindahl, Jan Åman, Per Enerud, Ulf Beckman, Sara Ilstedt and Görel Byström Janarv 1996
Identita text by Marco Romanelli, Abitare magazine March 1996
To shape the world, text by Karen Louise Juhl Christensen, Malmö Museum 1997
Self published books
Theselius, Mats, Eremitens Koja, with articles by Anders Alpsten, Mats Theselius, Jan Åhman, HYPE Magazine/Källemo, 1991, new edition, Art Gallery in Hishult 1998.
Theselius, Mats, Miljonprogrammet, with articles by Mats Theselius, Torbjörn Andersson Andreas Gedin, Lars Ågren, MAMA arkitekturförlag, Stockholm, 1992.
Theselius, Mats, Mats Theselius Universum, foreword by Peder Alton, exhibition catalogue, Vandalorum, 2013.
Theselius, Mats Urban Cowboy, foreword by Bo Nilsson and Rebecka Tarschys. Exhibition catalogue, Artipelag, Arena, 2015.
Theselius, Mats, I Ryssland/In Russia, Arena, 2015.
Theselius, Mats, Biblioteket, Bältgatan 5, published by Glommen & Lindberg and Mats Theselius 2018.
Written articles in selection
Dagens Nyheter, 12 November 1989, article "Hundrov och raketbränsle".
HYPE, no. 3/4, article "Pudels Kärna" 1989-90
"Tre gemensamma brännpunkter" The Road - an anthology about making good art. Bonnier Alba 1995.
Dagens Nyheter, 27 April 1997, article "Gör om Göteborg".
Dagens Nyheter, 8 June 1997, article "Rent Ryskt".
About Work, Communication, Process, Organization and Form. "Om vårt samarbete".
The exhibition Roomservice / H99 Helsingör 1999.
Katzenjammer no. 4, magazine, article "Framtidens design" 2000.
Theselius, Mats, Cowboyboots, Konstant, exhibition catalogue, St Petersburg, 2000.
“Art design”? Foreword to Anders Jakobsen's printed matter Lagombra 2005.
"Ett bra bröd" The designers' cookbook. It Is Media AB 2008.
"Association", an alternative guide to the National Museum. National Museum 2009
Commissions in selection
Design idea Smögens Havsbad hotel, 1992.
Meeting place Arlanda airport Sky City, 1993.
The million program. Interior design/exhibition in Västra Frölunda for Bostadsbolaget Poseidon, Gothenburg, 1993.
Café Edsvik Art Gallery, Stockholm, 1996.
Set design for Noel Coward's musical "Min fru går igen", Norrköping theatre, 1997.
Design church, research project together with theologian Görel Byström, 1997
Bishop's chair Linköping Cathedral, 1998.
Swap Your Life, exhibition & experience project for Sthlm-98 in collaboration with, among others, theologian Görel Byström, Framtidens Kultur, Foundation for Future Studies & Sthlm-98, Kulturhuset & in the Greater Stockholm area in 1998.
Art bookshop, shop interior Kulturhuset/Stockholm, Göteborgs Konsthall/ Gothenburg, Rooseum/Malmö, in collaboration with artist Andreas Roth, 1997-98.
Café, Edsvik Art Gallery, 1998.
Garden house in collaboration with Staffan Wikberg, Rosendahls Trädgårdar, Stockholm, 1998.
Tierra sportswear, Brandstore store interior Gothenburg, in collaboration with artist Andreas Roth, 1999.
Café, Maritime History Museum, Stockholm, 2000.
Broplan/ Mölndal, city landscape in collaboration with Håkan Johnsson, Topia Landskapsarkitekter, 2003.
Mindball interactive game for Interactive institute productions, 2003.
City Plan & Runway for UFOs. Uddebo/Tranemo municipality,
in collaboration with architect Pernilla Magnusson in 2004.
Travel stool for Archbishop Caroline Krook, Storkyrkan, Stockholm, 2004.
Entrance room Archive for Swedish design, in collaboration with architect Pernilla Magnusson, Pukeberg glass factory, Nybro, 2006.
Rausvång, interior design/exhibition house, terraced house designed by Vandkunsten for HSB in collaboration with Pernilla Magnusson Theselius, Helsingborg, 2010.
Sebastian Schildt Gallery, shop interior, Stockholm, 2011.
Submarine dock meeting place, Västra hamnen, for Malmö City, Malmö, 2011.
Infospot's interactive information player, Citytunneln, for Malmö city, Malmö, 2011.
Children's kiosk for the exhibition "Barnens århundrade", Vandalorum art gallery, 2014.
Outdoor toilet, 3 prototypes for environmentally friendly toilets for the Stockholm archipelago, Archipelago Foundation, Stockholm, 2015.
Cykelhotellet interior details, Malmö, 2017.
The library, residential property artistic design/decoration Bältgatan 5 Karlaplan, Stockholm, 2017-18.
Grand piano for the cultural center Gummifabriken Värnamo, 2019.
Producers
Arvesund/Lignarium, Eremitens koja.
Byggfabriken, building details
Die Blindenanstalt, Germany, shoe brushes
Docksta Shoe, slippers
Essem, hall furniture
Gemla, bentwood furniture
Källemo, furniture
Marrakech Design, concrete tiles
Martall, chinese board game in collaboration with artist Jonas Theselius
Minus Tio, furniture in collaboration with artist Andreas Roth
Nya Manufaktur, lamps
Pearl, microphones
String, furniture
Trio De Nord, furniture
Ludwig Svensson textile
W. A. Bolin, silver & gold
Woodstockholm, furniture
Solo exhibitions
Gallery Cupido, Stockholm, 1988
Architecture Gallery Gothenburg, 1989
Kulturhuset Nässjö, 1999
Ekelund/Tandan Gallery Sthlm, 1991
Livsmedel, Gallery Rotor, Gothenburg, 1992
Miljonprogrammet architecture exhibition for Poseidon Bostads AB, Gothenburg, 1993
Architecture Gallery Center for modern art, Moscow, 1994
Linnegatan Live street project, Gothenburg, 1994
Kraschnuyj Ugol Färgfabriken konsthall, Stockholm, 1996
Natur & Kultur, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, 1997
Gallery Cupido, Stockholm, 1998
Monolit, Hordalands Kunstsenter, Bergen, 1999
Att forma världen, Malmö Museum, 1999
1/2 kopp Mats Theselius, Hishult art gallery, 1999
Mats Theselius Kulturmagasinet, Sundsvall, 1999
Deconstruction of the material idea, exhibition Authentics shop, Berlin, 2000
Custom designed armchair TXS, for the White house, J Lindeberg brand store, 'Soho Offsite event New York, 2000
Mats Theselius/W. A Bolin, Stockholm, 2000
Mats Theselius, Tomelilla Art Gallery, 2000
Mats Theselius Custom armchairs/Christian Larsen Gallery, Stockholm Art Fair, 2002
Mats Theselius Custom Armchairs, Armory Show, New York, 2002
Mats Theselius furniture, Form Design center Malmö, 2006
Mats Theselius Custom armchairs, Nilufar gallery, Milano, 2007
Mats Theselius Custom armchairs, Transpavillion, Berlin, 2007
Chloroform Gallery Pascale, Stockholm, 2008
The rhythm of the magic drum installation. DMY, Berlin, 2009
Vreta Kloster, Linköping, 2009
Gallery Cupido, Stockholm, 2009
Modersmjölken, Form design center, Malmö, 2009
Sebastian Schildt gallery, Stockholm, 2011
Mats Theselius universe, Vandalorum art gallery, Värnamo, 2013
Urban Cowboy, Artipelag art gallery, Gustavsberg, 2015
Sölvesborg Art Gallery, 2016
Sebastian Schildt gallery, Stockholm, 2017
Dalslands museum, Upperud, 2018
Group exhibitions
Young designers Möbelmässan, Stockholm, 1984 & 1986
Bo -85, Upplands Väsby, 1985
Alla Prima, Konstfrämjandet, Stockholm & Lidköping, 1987
Ting äger rum, Liljevalchs konsthall, Stockholm, 1987
Konstant –90, Stockholm University, Frescati 1988 & Leningrad 1989
Design Sweden, Swedish Institute, Montevideo, Bombay, Bangalore, Ahmedabad & New Dehli, 1990-91
Configura 1, Erfurt Swedish Embassy & Axis Building, Tokyo, 1991
Expo -92, the World Exhibition in Seville, 1992
Nordic Light, London, 1993
Nordic profiles, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, National Museum, Stockholm and arts and crafts museum in Copenhagen, Oslo & Helsinki, 1994-95
Stellwerk Designzentrum Nordhein Westfalen, Essen, German design council, Frankfurt and Axis Bulding Tokyo 1995
Strukturer, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, 1995
Good Design -95 Chicago Athenaeum Museum of architecture, 1995
Föreningen Svensk Form 150 year anniversary, Liljevalchs art gallery Stockholm & Röhsska Museum Gothenburg, 1995
Smart China Exhibition, Gallery Arosa 2000 Frankfurt, 1996
Swedish Folk art, Museum of folk art, Santa Fe & Los Angeles, 1995-97
Low Budget "with Matthias Dietz,: Kunsthal Rotterdam 1995, Röhsska Museet Gothenburg 1996, 'Richard Meyer museum, Frankfurt 1996 and Center Cultural de Belem, Lisbon, 1997.
Designkyrkan, research project together with theologian Görel Byström 1996-97
Swap Your Life, exhibition & experience, project for Sthlm-98 in collaboration with theologian Görel Byström and i.a. Framtidens Kultur, Foundation for future studies & Sthlm -98, Kulturhuset & in greater Stockholm area, 1998.
Design & Photography, Milan, 1998
Experimenta 99, Center cultural de Belem, Lisbon, 1999
First Biennale St Etienne, 1999
Addendum 2, Hamar, 1999
Room service H 99, architecture exhibition/fair Helsingborg/Helsingör, 1999
Sammeln, exhibition about collecting, Walter Gropius bau, Museum de dinge, Berlin, 2000
Drei Heilige könige, exhibition, Museum de angewante kunst, Cologne, 2000
Konstant 2000, St. Petersburg, 2000
Broplan, exhibition with landscape architect Håkan Johnsson, Statens Konstråd, Stockholm, 2000
Grace Museum Abilene, Texas, 2002
Design film pool(DFP), film screenings in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Berlin in 2002, 2003 and 2004, DFP's collaborative project "Shots on Brave New Worlds" in collaboration with designer Oliver Vogt, Berlin, 2004
Swedish Style, Tokyo, 2001
Classic 3, Sweden art Project, Kortrijk, 2001
Homy, Bohuslän museum/art galler,y 2001
Lifespace, Art and Industry Museum, Copenhagen, 2001
Bådhänt, exhibition with artist Rolf Hansson, Gallery Aronowitch, Sthlm, 2001
Do not Disturb, Pezaro, 2002
Something different, IFA Stuttgart, 2004
Shots on Brave new Worlds, presentation Design annual, Stylepark Frankfurt, 2007
Mini scraper, exhibition with Pernilla Magnusson, Stefan Andersson & Jonas Theselius, Malmö, 2008
Superstories, Hasselt, 2009
Shots on Brave new Worlds, presentation Uglycute space, Sthlm, 2008
Shots on Brave new Worlds, presentation Vandalorum art gallery, Värnamo, 2009
Experimenta design event, Lisbon, 2009
Post Fossil 21_21 Design Sight, Tokyo, 2011
Farväl fullformat, Vandalorum, Värnamo, 2013
Theselius Andersson Family exhibition, Gallery Cupido, 2014
Barnets århundrade/barnkiosk ,Vandalorum, Värnamo, 2014
Design is a state of mind by Martino Gamper: Serpentine gallery, London, 2014
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, Turin, 2014-2015
Museon Bolzano, 2015
The new map, Form Design Center, Malmö, 2015
The new map, Nationalmuseum/Kulturhuset, Stockholm, 2016
The new map, Vandalorum, Värnamo, 2016
Swedish Design Scandinavian Center, Jingdezhen, China, 2016
Örnsberg auction Art Academy, Stockholm, 2014
Örnsberg auction, Galleri Bon, Stockholm, 2015
INSIDE, exhibition together with Åke Axelsson & Jonas Bohlin, Art Academy, Stockholm, 2018
LUX, exhibition together with Glen Baghurst, Wohnkultur 66, Hamburg, 2019