“Sorteras Under: Le Travail / Björn Lövin” presents a walkthrough of an unrealised “total exhibition” based on the work of the Swedish artist Björn Lövin. The publication also includes essays by Lisa Rosendahl and Emily Segal.

The book takes its point of departure in two sketches, one in Swedish and one in English, in which Lövin outlines the idea of a “total exhibition”. The proposal brought together many of his works, including large installations and films, into a concluding gesamtkunstwerk. The installations were intended to be seen through one another, creating an “effect of depth” where the relationships between the works became increasingly complex.

Whether the exhibition was ever meant to be realised remains uncertain. It would have required a very specific architectural setting, and many of Lövin’s installations were never preserved after their exhibitions. Objects used within the environments were often treated as props and not always saved.

In the book, the idea of the total exhibition, “The Work”, is digitally reconstructed in three dimensions using archival material and photographic documentation.

Björn Lövin (1937–2009) was one of the first Swedish artists to work with large-scale installations, often referred to as environments. His works critically examined social structures, from the ideals of the Swedish welfare state (Folkhemmet) to the mechanisms of consumer society.