Mats Theselius

1956 -

Mats Anders Birger Theselius is one of Sweden’s most distinctive contemporary furniture designers. The son of artists Pär Andersson and Astrid Theselius Andersson, he grew up in a creative environment that shaped his early interest in form, material and expression. Theselius studied interior architecture at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm from 1979 to 1984. His academic achievements later led to a professorship at the School of Design and Crafts at the University of Gothenburg from 1995 to 1996.

Theselius established his reputation in 1985 with the Älgskinnsfåtöljen, a cylindrical armchair made of sheet iron and elk hide. This work introduced the bold material combinations and sculptural sensibility that would become central to his practice. Other notable designs include his glazed National Geographic book cabinet from 1988–90, lacquered in the magazine’s signature yellow, as well as the Rex armchair from 1994, El Rey from 1999 and the Ambassad armchair created for the Swedish Embassy in Berlin that same year.

His versatility extends beyond furniture. Theselius has designed liturgical objects, including a cathedra for Linköping Cathedral in 1999 and a bishop’s crosier for the Diocese of Stockholm in 2004. His work consistently demonstrates a sophisticated command of materials, ranging from metal and leather to glass and wood, and often merges conceptual clarity with artisanal precision.

Mats Theselius has received several prestigious honours, including the Bruno Mathsson Prize in 1997, membership in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2011 and the Prince Eugen Medal in 2018 for outstanding artistic achievement. Today he is regarded as one of the most original voices in modern Swedish design, admired for his inventive approach and his ability to challenge and expand the boundaries of contemporary furniture making.