Sven-Harry Karlsson was born in Lund and created Folkhem, which became one of Sweden's leading construction companies. In his private life he also became a major art collector and philanthropist.
Sven-Harry's Art Museum opened in Vasaparken in central Stockholm in 2011. The collection includes works by Carl Fredrik Hill, Ernst Josephson, Helene Schjerfbeck, Edvard Munch and August Strindberg, among others.
For me, art is synonymous with civilization. The soul must get its due. Some have suggested that I donate my collection to a museum, but the National Museum doesn't have room for it. I think we have too few museums in this country, Sven-Harry Karlsson told TT at the museum's inauguration in 2011.
"It is with great sadness that we announce that Sven-Harry has peacefully passed away. His drive, charm and humor have made a strong impression on everyone around him," says Dragana Kusoffsky Maksimovic, CEO and museum director of Byggmästare Sven-Harry's Art and Housing Foundation, in a statement.
