THE RAVINEN CULTURAL PROJECT
by Göran HermerénINTRODUCTION
The story of Ravinen can be described as the story of a dream come true - one that would not have been possible without the efforts of Ulla and Gustav Kraitz. It is also the story of an art project. It is a story in which many things changed during the more than 30 years that Ulla and Gustav worked tirelessly to make their dream a reality.
In my thinking about this journey, a sentence from the book The Day of All Souls by the Dutch writer Cees Nooteboom has stayed with me: ‘The ambiguity of art was that it made the abyss visible and at the same time imposed an apparent order on it’. But how do people get to art? How does art get to people? Encounters and meeting places become important.
This project can be seen as a crescendo in the artistic careers of Ulla and Gustav Kraitz. They have had great success with their art internationally, not least in China and the USA. And, now, with the Ravinen project, they have helped to create the conditions for a rich cultural life in their home region.
THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT
The Ravinen cultural project was initially organised as a foundation. The Bjäre Konsthallar Foundation was established in 1991 by a handful of enthusiasts at the initiative of Gustav and Ulla Kraitz. The aim was to create a cultural centre in Båstad. The organisation changed in April 2000, when the ‘Ravinen: Cultural Centre in Norrviken’ was established with a partly new group of founders with the task of realising the plan for a cultural centre in Norrviken Gardens in Båstad.
The hope was that Ravinen would become a regional centre with great appeal and also an important hub for cultural activities in the Öresund region. It was also intended that the past, present and future would come together through the confrontation of permanent collections with contemporary art and through cross-border encounters between different art forms. The vision was that this cultural centre would help to create something of lasting value for future generations.
Several architects were involved in the project: Peter Broberg / Anna Sjögren, Johan Celsing and Pontus Möller. Along the way, several ideas for the location and appearance of the art centre were put forward. Peter Broberg took part in the discussions from1989. An early idea was that the art centre should be located out in the water on an artificial spit of land. A later idea, from1999, was to place the art gallery on either side of the gorge – with an amphitheatre and restaurant on one side and art exhibition halls on the other - and across the gorge. The drawings for this proposal were made by Peter Broberg and Anna Sjögren. In 2000, contact was made with architect Johan Celsing, who came up with a new, more detailed proposal, which, however, was too expensive to be realised.
OBSTACLES AND DIFFICULTIES
The road to completion was not easy. Obstacles and difficulties of various kinds were encountered along the way to realising the vision. The building alone cost around SEK 60 million.
The economic conditions were discussed with Ulla and Gustav Kraitz at many board meetings. A decision was made to start by trying to get some major donations for the project. If this was successful, the board felt that it would be more likely that the project could be realised. The assumption was that with major donors giving their backing, more people would then be willing to make smaller donations to the project. There were several other challenges along the way. These include little or no support from the community and the region. Some people were quick to ridicule the project.
Others saw only the difficulties and not the opportunities. Several objections were raised: the proposed building was considered too far from a major city; difficulties in attracting visitors during the winter months were highlighted; competition from Louisiana, the famous museum of modern art outside Copenhagen, was considered too strong. Some saw the project as a dream that could not be realised. Others thought it presumptuous for an artist couple with no significant financial resources of their own to embark on such a project.
OPPORTUNITIES AND JOYS
Some people and organisations who were initially enthusiastic about the Ravine project lost interest. More importantly, however, some people who were initially sceptical about the possibility of carrying out this endeavour changed their minds, got involved and contributed in various ways to make the project possible.
Without Gustav and Ulla’s boundless energy, creativity and ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances over 30 years, Ravinen would never have been realised. Gustav, in particular, was a driving force, never willing to give up. Many others also made important contributions. These include enthusiasts who volunteered their time and, in some cases, generous donors.
One such significant contribution was made by brothers Erik and Mats Paulsson. This came at a time when it was clear that the choice had to be made between letting the Ravine project collapse due to costs, or continuing the project under changed economic conditions and with a new architect.
The Paulsson brothers contributed in various ways. Mats Paulsson, through his company, donated the land on which the art centre was to be built. Erik Paulsson proposed to construct the building through his company Backahill. Erik brought in Pontus Möller, one of the architects they had worked with for many years, who drew up new plans and construction documents inspired by the work of previous architects. Backahill built the building, which took about a year and was inaugurated in October 2021.
The Ravinen Foundation had raised SEK 13 million through various donations. This was used to give the concert hall high-quality acoustics, to install security systems that meet the highest standards, and to pay for furnishings, a grand piano, a restaurant kitchen and more. The Foundation will also award a substantial grant to a promising artist each year.
THE SITUATION TODAY
The Foundation was established to plan and facilitate the construction of the Ravinen Cultural Centre. This role changed when the cultural centre was built and Backahill com- pany, which owns the land, took over all financial responsibility. Today, the Foundation’s task is to manage the important art collection donated to Ravinen by Ulla and Gustav Kraitz. Part of the collection is on permanent display in the Kraitz Hall. In addition, the Foundation contributes its expertise by suggesting regular exhibitions and programmes.
Today, Ravinen is an outstanding art gallery and cultural centre with a wide and varied range of activities that attracts visitors from near and far. The story of its creation is that of an artist couple, Ulla and Gustav Kraitz, who, through their vision, have created a cultural centre in the region where they live and work.