SWEA INTERNATIONAL INC., NEW YORK CHAPTER
2014 SCHOLARSHIP REPORT
In 2014, two projects were awarded the SWEA New York Mona Johnsson Scholarship, both in the
amount of $1,500:
1. SWEA New York Mona Johnsson Scholarship 2014, in the amount of $1,500, was awarded to
Emma Harling for researching and studying of the Swedish women's textile movement, create
handmade repeated patterns on fabric in this tradition, and presenting the results through an
exhibition in New York 2015.
Emma is a designer for printed textiles, currently living in New York as an ”alien with extraordinary
ability”. She has made prints for Michael Kors, Gwen Stefani, Clinique, H&M and Anthropologie.
Although she creates digital files of her patterns, which is becoming the industry standard, she
feels that it is important to study and continue practice the traditional handicraft of textile printing.
In Sweden, there’s a very long tradition of creating textiles - a skill which is historically practiced by
women. There are many great female textile designers who have received international recognition
and made it to the history books.
Emma will use the SWEA New York Mona Johnsson Scholarship 2014 to:
1. a) Study the history and work of Swedish textile designers, with focus on women
2. b) Study traditional Swedish practices and methods of producing yardage printed by hand
3. c) Produce a small collection of hand printed textiles and present them along with her
research through an exhibition in a a gallery in Brooklyn or New York for approximately 100200 guests. SWEA will be acknowledged with a thank you and logotype on the invitations
and press releases.
2. SWEA New York Mona Johnsson Scholarship 2014, in the amount of $1,500, was awarded to
Elda Garcia Posadas for arranging a dramatized reading of Hjalmar Bergman's “Clownen Jac” both
in English and in Spanish in New York 2015.
Elda has translated books by authors such as Strindberg, Sjöwall and Wahlöö, Selma Lagerlof,
Astrid Lindgren from Swedish to Spanish, and is currently on leave from her position as a legal
adviser at Madrid's regional government, EU Chamber, while translating “Clownen Jac” in New
York on behalf of publisher ”Mishkin Ediciones” and with support from the Swedish Art Council.
She is also a trained actress with experience from theatre and staged readings, and has a
preference for Nordic culture and especially Hjalmar Bergman. Elda aims to perform the Spanish
version at Theater repertorio Español and the English version at the Deutsches Haus at Columbia
University.
Elda will use the SWEA New York Mona Johnsson Scholarship 2014 to cover the locations rent
and marketing and print material the performances while the translation and actor's fees
(approximately $2000) are funded by other sources.
SWEA New York feels that both projects will promote Swedish culture in New York, and that the
projects complement each other well and will reach different target groups. In addition, both
projects offer SWEA display on invites, programs and press releases/marketing material.
In addition, the SWEA New York Chapter also made a donation in the amount of $500 to The
Swedish Seamen’s Church Inc. in New York.
New York, January 30th, 2015
Annika Andersson, Chairperson
The Scholarship Committee
Yvonne Ericson-Dryden, Ulrica Fredsvik-Konvalin, Maria Karlsson and Annika Andersson