Claes Hake

{{Short description|Swedish sculptor (1945–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox artist | honorific_prefix = | name =  | honorific_suffix = | image =  | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{birth date|1945|2|7|df=yes}} | birth_place = Mölndal, Sweden | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|10|16|1945|2|7|df=yes}} | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | nationality =  | education = Valand Art Academy | alma_mater = | known_for = Sculpting | notable_works = {{plainlist| * {{Interlanguage link|Solringen|sv}} (1993) * 1998 Gothenburg discotheque fire memorial (2008) }} | style = | movement = | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | father = | mother = | relatives = | family = | awards =  | signature = | signature_type = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | elected = | patrons = | memorials = | website =  | module = }}

'''Claes Hake''' (7 February 1945 – 16 October 2025) was a Swedish sculptor. He was known for monumental stone sculptures, which were displayed in public settings such as parks and train stations. Two of his most notable works are {{Interlanguage link|Solringen|sv}}, displayed at the Gothenburg University Library, and the memorial for the victims of the 1998 Gothenburg discotheque fire. His sculptures have been displayed in Scandinavia, Germany, and the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tiberg |first=Cecilia |last2=Lundberg |first2=Rebecca |date=2025-10-16 |title=Konstnären Claes Hake är död |trans-title=Artist Claes Hake has died |url=https://www.svt.se/kultur/konstnaren-claes-hake-ar-dod |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=SVT Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Hake was born in Mölndal on 7 February 1945. He was dyslexic.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Callesson |first=Sofia |date=2016-03-20 |title=Han vill skapa livet ut |url=https://www.ttela.se/noje/han-vill-skapa-livet-ut.a5ce61ea-7601-4ff2-9bbc-5c41bdd4335b |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=TTELA |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Soderholm |first=Carolina |date=8 June 2024 |title=RECENSION: Bilden av Hake både bekräftas och nyanseras |trans-title=REVIEW: The image of Hake is both confirmed and nuanced |url=https://www.nsk.se/kultur/bilden-av-hake-bade-bekraftas-och-nyanseras/ |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Norra Skåne |language=sv}}</ref> He was accepted to the Valand Art Academy in 1963, at the age of 17.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1963-09-18 |title=Nya elever vid Valand |trans-title=New students at Valand |work=Dagens Nyheter |pages=2}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> He received his master's degree at 22.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Andersson |first=Jan |date=2025-10-16 |title=Göteborgskonstnären Claes Hake är död |trans-title=Gothenburg artist Claes Hake has died |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/goteborgskonstnaren-claes-hake-ar-dod.26139da7-f786-4390-af33-40bdf553a62c |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bergström |first=Lotta |date=21 August 2008 |title=Hake i brons och järnoxid |trans-title=Hake in bronze and iron oxide |url=https://www.hn.se/noje/hake-i-brons-och-jarnoxid.f48ee9dd-78fe-4983-99c6-92da0f0a26cd |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Hallands Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref> He was first interested in painting before sculpting.<ref name=":0" />

== Career == In the first ten years after graduating from Valand, he sold just three sculptures. He supported himself working as a stagehand at the Gothenburg City Theatre.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Törnqvist |first=Arne |date=1982-01-05 |title=Att måla i Göteborg är ett ensamt jobb |trans-title=Painting in Gothenburg is a lonely job |work=Dagens Nyheter |pages=4}}</ref>

Hake's 1982 bronze sculpture ''Bohuslän'', usually displayed at Gothenburg Central Station, was stolen in 1992. It was later recovered and donated to the city's cultural committee.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 April 1992 |title=Ett ton bronsskulptur stulen |trans-title=One-ton bronze sculpture stolen |url=https://www.dn.se/arkiv/inrikes/ett-ton-bronsskulptur-stulen/ |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=4 December 2008 |title=Skulptur doneras till Göteborg - P4 Göteborg |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/2486285 |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=sv}}</ref> He sculpted {{Interlanguage link|Solringen|sv}}, which was installed in 1993 at the Gothenburg University Library.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Segraeus |first=Sara |date=2016-02-06 |title=Hake breddar bilden |trans-title=Hake broadens the picture |url=https://folkbladet.se/kultur/konst/artikel/hake-breddar-bilden/jdwpqg8r |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Folkbladet |language=sv}}</ref> His 1995 sculpture ''Arch'' is displayed in Umedalen skulpturpark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clas Hake – Umedalens Skulpturpark |url=https://umedalenskulptur.org/artworks-in-the-park/clas-hake/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522071211/https://umedalenskulptur.org/artworks-in-the-park/clas-hake/ |archive-date=22 May 2025 |access-date=15 September 2025 |website=Umedalen skulpturpark |language=sv-SE}}</ref> He was awarded a ten-year fellowship from the Swedish Fine Arts Foundation in 1997.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 March 1997 |title=22 nya långtidsstipendiater |trans-title=22 new long-term scholarship recipients |url=https://www.dn.se/arkiv/teater/22-nya-langtidsstipendiater/ |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref>

With fellow sculptors {{Interlanguage link|Pål Svensson|sv}} and {{Interlanguage link|Kent Karlsson (sculptor)|lt=Kent Karlsson|sv|Kent Karlsson (konstnär)}}, he had a group showing in Gothenburg in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Benkel |first=Ulf |date=2005-08-29 |title=Tror stenhårt på konsten |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/tror-stenhart-pa-konsten.ce94441e-55bc-4f32-b312-d1d0a8e00997 |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv}}</ref>

He designed the memorial for the victims of the 1998 Gothenburg discotheque fire. The names of the 62 victims were engraved on a slab of polished blue granite, measuring {{Convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and {{Convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} high.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sandberg |first=Peter |date=29 October 2008 |title=Minnesmärke för brandoffren avtäcktes |trans-title=Memorial for fire victims unveiled |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/minnesmarke-for-brandoffren-avtacktes/ |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv |issn=1101-2447}}</ref> The memorial was unveiled in 2008, on the tenth anniversary of the fire.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eriksson |first=Annika H |date=30 October 2008 |title=Stämningsfull minnesceremoni - Ekot |trans-title=Atmospheric memorial ceremony - Ekot |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/2409529 |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=sv}}</ref>

His 2020 solo exhibition at the {{Interlanguage link|Wetterling Gallery|sv}} received praise from {{Interlanguage link|Birgitta Rubin|sv}} in ''Dagens Nyheter''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rubin |first=Birgitta |date=25 November 2020 |title=Claes Hakes konst har styrka och schvung |trans-title=Claes Hake's art has strength and drive |url=https://www.dn.se/kultur/claes-hakes-konst-har-styrka-och-schvung/ |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref> In 2024, many of his works (made between 1962 and 2024) were exhibited in a career retrospective at the Nordic Watercolour Museum in Tjörn. The exhibit was acclaimed by Boel Ulfsdotter in ''Göteborgs-Posten''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ulfsdotter |first=Boel |date=2025-02-18 |title=Recension: ”Jag drabbas omedelbart att kraften hos Claes Hake”, skriver Boel Ulfsdotter. |trans-title=Review: “I am immediately struck by the power of Claes Hake,” writes Boel Ulfsdotter. |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/konst/claes-hake-utstallningen-ar-inget-mindre-an-en-fest.27bbad09-4b2c-4087-83fb-4fcc4abef87d |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv}}</ref>

He exhibited ''Döskallar och Dönickar'', containing 70 bronze sculptures, at Galleri Thomassen from 13 September to 5 October 2025. Hake was seriously ill at the time of the show, and Karin Frid of ''Göteborgs-Posten'' characterised the exhibit as a "chance to say goodbye."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Frid |first=Karin |date=2025-09-13 |title=Recension: Det är känslosamt att möta Claes Hakes filurer |trans-title=Review: It is emotional to encounter Claes Hake's characters |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/konst/konst-doskallar-och-donickar-av-claes-hake-pa-galleri-thomassen-.69d1ac1b-f034-4b26-8165-5914a1e008c6 |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv}}</ref>

== Death == Hake died on 16 October 2025, at the age of 80.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thordén |first=Edvard |date=2025-10-16 |title=Claes Hake fick betraktaren att känna både vördnad och litenhet |trans-title=Claes Hake made the viewer feel both awe and humility |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/claes-hake-fick-betraktaren-att-kanna-bade-vordnad-och-litenhet.a5392523-2701-4d20-affb-b947ec121d6c |access-date=2025-10-16 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{IMDb name| 9704321}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hake, Claes}} Category:1945 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Swedish male sculptors Category:People from Mölndal Category:Artists from Västra Götaland County Category:20th-century Swedish sculptors Category:21st-century Swedish sculptors Category:People with dyslexia