1948 saw the publication of Ingmar Bergman's 'Moraliteter' (/Moralities, Bonniers), and in 2024, 'Bergmans Banaliteter' (Bergman's Banalities, Farozonen) presented by A-FL, was released. The Swedish director was widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. Despite significant international success, Ingmar Bergman's self-image was characterized by a sense of being misunderstood. The director, who claimed to have been rejected from birth, may have been his own harshest critic.
In Bergman's Banaliteter by A-FL, a heavily annotated original manuscript for a series of previously unpublished interviews, conducted by the critic and Bergman connoisseur Henrik Sjögren (1926-2020) during the autumn of 2001, is being processed. The text is completely omitted, and all that remains are Bergman's extensive deletions; frenetic lines dancing across the pages in red and green ink. Taken out of context, these resolute strokes transform into abstract formations that manifest Bergman's relentless self-censorship. On the 32nd page of the original manuscript, the director writes in a desperate note: "I feel like I'm practically always stating banalities about my productions. It's too miserable, Henrik!"
'Bergmans Banaliteter' is published by Farozonen Förlag in an edition of 100 hand-numbered copies, with a risograph-printed inlay in a hot-foiled cover. The book is bound with an archival clip made from tempered steel. Each copy is packaged in a hot-foiled cardboard box, closed with a cotton string. The first 20 orders come with the publisher's enamel pin.
Bergmans Banaliteter (Bergman's Banalities)
Presented by A-FL
Published by Farozonen Förlag, Stockholm, 2024
Editor: Peter Bodén
Format: 297 mm x 210 mm (8.27 inches x 11.7 inches)
Volume: 67 pages (simplex)
Print: 2 colour Risograph print, unbound slip with handwriting in pencil.
Cover: Hot-foiled title on back-to-front Fedrigoni Imitlin Rosso
Binding: Softcover, bound with archival clip in tempered steel
ISBN-13: 978-91-531-0535-0
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A-FL (b. 1985) lives and works in Gothenburg, Sweden. Active as artist, designer and publisher; the conceptual point of departure is often a found object—whether tangible or intangible. Using the book as a vehicle for exploring questions of identity, language and culture, A-FL has published a number artist's books and editions with publishers such as LL'Editions, Object Multiple, Hundörat Small Press and Farozonen Förlag.
Kjell Höglund (b. 1945) is a Swedish singer-songwriter who gained prominence in the 1970s. In Sweden, Höglund is renowned for his unique blend of realism, absurdism, and surrealism. In 1992, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop. Höglund has a dedicated, cult-like following in his home country, often compared to that of Bob Dylan, an artist he frequently cites as an inspiration. He withdrew entirely from music in 2006, further enhancing his mythical status.
’Desertören’ by Kjell Höglund is a concertina publication that presents, for the first time in a book, the complete lyrics to Höglund’s legendary 17-minute song ’Desertören’ (’The Deserter’). Written in 1978, the song quickly became a pacifist anthem, especially among the politically left-leaning youth of the time.
The recto side of the publication’s ten panels spells out the title in condensed, capital letters, with letterforms mimicking a group of soldiers lining up in formation, as if following their general’s command: “At attention!” On the verso side, a foreword by well-known author and cultural figure Kalle Lind (b. 1975) precedes Höglund’s lyrics.
The publication is wrapped with a girdle that reads ’EJ’ (meaning ’NOT’ in Swedish), and when it overlaps the final “N” in the capitalized ’DESERTÖREN,’ it forms the word ’NEJ’ (’NO’ in Swedish), an impactful typographic illustration of Höglund’s uncompromising stance. The publication is printed on eggshell-toned Munken paper, using a metallic blue Pantone color, popularly known as ’Gun Metal.’
ISBN-13: 978-91-531-0536-7
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Kjell Höglund (b. 1945) is a Swedish singer-songwriter who gained prominence in the 1970s. In Sweden, Höglund is renowned for his unique blend of realism, absurdism, and surrealism. In 1992, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop. Höglund has a dedicated, cult-like following in his home country, often compared to that of Bob Dylan, an artist he frequently cites as an inspiration. Höglund made 14 albums between 1971 and 2006, before withdrawing entirely from music, which further enhanced his already mythical status.
Kalle Lind (b. 1975) is a Swedish author, comedian, and radio personality who describes himself as a “jack-of-all-trades in the cultural sector.” He is known for his podcast 'Snedtänkt' and for his interest in Swedish entertainment history, which he often explores in books and other media, for example through biographies of Hasse Alfredson and Karl Gerhard. He has also worked as a writer for television and radio and has been a morning host on P4.
Alter Ego (Farozonen, 2025) is the latest book in Owe Gustafson’s series of autofictional, fully illustrated works. The book, which gathers short, poignant vignettes, is small enough to fit in a suit pocket—or in a magician’s hat. It has been published in an equally small first edition: only 150 copies have been printed.
ISBN-13: 978-91-531-0537-4
ORDER HERE
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Owe Gustafson (b. 1940) is a Swedish author, artist, illustrator, and all-round creator. He lives and works in Stockholm, and on Österlen. His artistic career spans five decades, and his major breakthrough came with the now-cult animations for the children’s television series 'Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter', which premiered on SVT in 1973. Since then, he has exhibited in cities such as Paris, New York, and Tokyo, and has written more than ten books.