ArtistSwedish
Andreas Wargenbrant
20 active items
Andreas Wargenbrant, born October 13, 1967, in Helsingborg, Sweden, is a self-taught sculptor who works primarily in bronze, cast iron, copper, and marble. His approach to sculpture sits at the intersection of pop art and classical craft, drawing on a postmodernist sensibility that treats familiar objects, Swedish Dala horses, oversized dice, currency, luxury brand references, as vehicles for commentary on value, luck, and consumer culture. His surfaces are distinctive: patinated through extended outdoor weathering and worked with abrasives to achieve a rough, time-worn texture that contrasts sharply with the playful subject matter.
Wargenbrant's breakthrough came in 2010, when his reinterpretation of the traditional Dalahäst in oxidized bronze was sold at Bukowskis. The piece took a symbol deeply embedded in Swedish folk identity and recast it as a contemporary art object, stripped of kitsch sentimentality through its dark, corroded surface. The Dalahäst series has remained central to his output, produced in both bronze and cast iron across various scales and editions.
His work gained international visibility through two high-profile placements. The metal wall sculpture "One Dollar" was exhibited at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas during a 2016-2017 show, introducing his money-themed pieces to an American audience. In Germany, his sculpture "Ocean 1," a visualization of the North German wetland landscape outside Hamburg, was selected by a UNESCO jury led by South African sculptor Maureen Quin to represent a World Heritage site. The work is permanently installed in Hamburg.
Beyond sculpture, Wargenbrant works as a painter and photographer, though these activities remain secondary to his three-dimensional practice. He serves as artistic director of Spritan, a creative center established in a former distillery built in 1898 in Ödåkra, just outside Helsingborg. The complex, originally home to Helsingborgs Spritförädlings AB, now functions as a hub for art, design, and food under his creative leadership.
Wargenbrant is represented by galleries across Northern Europe, including Skagen Kunsthus in Denmark, AOFA Galleries, KH Konst & Antik, and Wass Konst in Sweden. His editions are typically produced in numbered runs, with bronze works often limited to series of 8, 10, 25, 50, or 99 pieces. Recurring titles include "The Winner Takes It All" (a die showing six on every face), "My First Dollar," "Please Love Me," and "Monaco Grand Prix."
On the secondary market, Wargenbrant's sculptures circulate actively through Swedish auction houses. Our database records 117 lots across houses including Garpenhus Auktioner (52 lots), Helsingborgs Auktionskammare (26), and Auktionshuset Kolonn (18). His Dalahäst pairs and money-themed bronzes draw the strongest bidding, with top results including a Dalahorse pair at 13,500 DKK, an "Homage To Louis Vuitton Keepall Bag" at 10,000 DKK, and a gold-patinated "The Winner Takes It All" at 7,500 EUR. The concentration of sales through southern Swedish houses, particularly in Helsingborg and Halmstad, reflects both his local roots and the regional collector base for his work.