Loyal Gallery has recently moved to a new address in Stockholm, located in Lärkstaden, the former Embassy of Brazil at Odengatan 3. The house was originally built in 1909, designed by Swedish architect Folke Zettervall as his private residence. In 1956 the Swedish Architects National Association took over the premises. Hans Asplund was then appointed to remodel the ground floor into a club room, which now functions as Loyal’s gallery space. A respectful renovation of Loyal’s 90 square meter area involved keeping treasures like Asplund’s fireplace, brick floor and staircase and the embassy’s bullet-proof glass reception, while also reinvigorating it to suit the new activities.
Loyal Gallery was established in 2005 in the wake of the eponymous magazine founded by a creative collective with Martin Lilja, Kristian Bengtsson and Amy Giunta at its core. When their ideas outgrew the paper format it led to an innovative art space opening in Stockholm, then located in Vasastan. Since their first opening Loyal has regularly been engaged in projects in New York and Los Angeles and has had a space in Malmö harbor. Today the gallery is run by co-founders and owners Martin Lilja and Amy Giunta, contributing with unique expressions otherwise not represented within the Stockholm art scene. Their main driving forces have always been creativity and enthusiasm, which is visible throughout all their actions, collaborations and events.
Loyal represents an impressive number of artists, primarily based in the US. It is an absolute treat to be able to find works by distinguished painters, like Katherine Bernhardt, in the heart of Stockholm.