Since 2023, SEB has been a partner of Market Art Fair. For the 2025 edition of the fair, SEB wanted to explain further what art truly means for the bank. The result was a film – created not just to showcase art, but to be experienced as a work of art in itself. At its heart lies the conviction that art, like entrepreneurship, is driven by passion, perseverance and ideas that can spark meaningful change.
The film was envisioned as a visual and emotional journey, blending movement, music, and artworks from SEB’s extensive collection. At its core is a dancer, moving gracefully through the halls of Mälsåker, a Baroque castle just outside Strängnäs.
The film’s concept was also rooted in the idea of a guided tour – an introduction to SEB’s art collection, but in a compressed, visual form. During the making of the film, Director Michael Sjösten visited SEB’s headquarters to study the works and select pieces that could carry the story. The project was inspired by Charles Bukowski’s poem Roll the Dice, which speaks of dedicating oneself fully to what truly matters, even if it entails hardship or sacrifice. Although SEB could not secure the rights to the original text, the poem’s spirit inspired a new one, written as an homage to artists and anyone who dares to live with passion. To heighten the experience, the soundtrack was composed specifically for the project.
SEB has always enabled entrepreneurs with a burning passion for an idea or a calling. Artists are no different – they are entrepreneurs too, driven by vision, courage and dedication against all odds. Our commitment to art is a celebration of that passion
Since relocating its head office to Arenastaden in 2017, SEB has modernised its collection with contemporary Nordic art and long-underrepresented female artists. Today it is recognised as one of the largest of its kind, with names such as Hilma af Klint, Karin Mamma Andersson, Malin Gabriella Nordin, Joakim Ojanen, Cajsa von Zeipel, Jockum Nordström and many others.
The film, featuring the collection, was shown in SEB’s lounge at Market Art Fair 2025, attracting curious visitors to sit down and experience the artworks in a new, cinematic way.
“It quickly became a focal point, sparking curiosity and conversation. Many people who watched it have since booked guided tours of SEB’s art collection in Arenastaden, Solna, where the works can be explored,” says Andrea Kellerman, Art Director.
