On a sun-soaked evening in Stockholm, an attractive group of young, creative types gathered to celebrate the opening of Färgfabriken’s newest art installation – an environmentally inspired outdoor space that will feature music, food, and drinks every Wednesday throughout the summer.

Färgfabriken has in its relatively short life established itself as something of a cultural gem; it is a gallery founded upon creativity and cooperation. Their mission is to bring people together over contemporary art in an unexpected and unique space. The gallery, which also doubles as a café, nightclub, and bar, has been praised by international sources like New York’s respected art journal Art Forum for its cutting edge exhibitions.

On the surface, Färgfabriken is nothing spectacular and is nestled slightly off the beaten path in a city which is very concentrated, at least when it comes to culture and the arts. Despite being in a gritty part of Liljeholmen and hidden behind chain iron fences and old warehouses marked by graffiti and broken glass, visitors will find the trip over the bridge from the island of Södermalm well worth their while.

The location is in fact part of the gallery’s unique appeal.

“What I think is the most exciting is that it’s hard to get to, it takes a little ambition to come here,” Love Lagerberg, who helped to organize Wednesday’s event, told The Local. “You need to know that something is happening, you have to want to go. I think that lets the guests have more fun.”

Wednesday’s inauguration was no exception. The new patio was packed with people cheerfully sipping a cool beer and admiring the art on show. Michel Bussien designed the wooden furniture that fills the space with the feel of a fairy-tale forest.

“It feels wonderful, really great that people are truly using my work,” he told The Local as he relaxed at one of his tables, enjoying the golden rays and bright indie beats.

Tasty, fresh drinks were being made with Azolla, the super plant that was being grown on the patio as a part Erik Sjödin’s Super Meal experiment. Sjödin and the crew at the Färgfabriken café plan to use Azolla, an extremely sustainable and fast-growing plant, to create new recipes for the café and bar to serve throughout the summer.

As the sun set lower, the music pumped louder. Some danced. Others sat, relaxing and catching up with friends.

“We are having a great time tonight, we are going to try this Azolla stuff in the drinks too,” Jobe Bail, an Australian who has lived in Sweden for three years, told The Local. “I think that this is one of the best alternative galleries and places to have a drink. There is a really good vibe.”

A good vibe and great art seems to be the general consensus at Färgfabriken. Other guests described it as being “chill,” “a ton of fun” and “worth the trip.”

The patio area will be open every Wednesday from 7pm to 2am. Each week, a different nightclub will host the party, featuring an array of different local bands and DJs.

Artsy patio installation and super plant drinks aside, the gallery is also currently showing Building Blocks, a light-hearted and playful architecture exhibit. If you can’t make it during the week, check out the show during the weekend and enjoy the all you can eat pancake brunch.

Färgfabriken can be reached by metro or bus to Liljeholmen and a short walk from there down the hill to the left.

Emy Gelb

View The Local’s Färgfabriken gallery here.