On February 5th, Ilon Wikland turns 95. Her milestone birthday is being honored with a major exhibition at Waldemarsudde in Stockholm and the re-release of her autobiographical book, The Long, Long Journey.
It has been over 70 years since a 24-year-old Ilon Wikland stepped into Astrid Lindgren’s office at Rabén & Sjögren to inquire about work. The meeting marked the beginning of an extraordinary collaboration. Lindgren was captivated by Wikland’s illustrations for Mio, My Son, and their partnership spanned over half a century. However, Wikland’s journey to becoming one of Sweden’s most iconic children’s book illustrators began long before that moment—on a stormy Baltic Sea.
At the age of 14, Ilon Wikland arrived in Sweden as an unaccompanied refugee, fleeing war-torn Estonia. She found solace and healing through art, using crayons gifted to her as she adjusted to a new life. From that moment on, drawing and painting became her way of exploring and creating worlds, both her own and those of others.
Last year, more than 400 of her works were displayed in the critically acclaimed exhibition Ilon Wikland’s Visual Worlds: Tales, Adventures, and Everyday Life at the Gothenburg Museum of Art. The exhibit drew record-breaking crowds—the museum’s most visitors since 2012. Now, barely a moment has passed since the walls in Gothenburg were cleared, and yet Wikland’s art is set to shine again – this time in Stockholm.
Illustration © Ilon Wikland/Design Ilon Wikland AB
The Brothers Lionheart: TM och © The Astrid Lindgren Company
The upcoming exhibition, From Moomin to Chop Chop, will run from February 15 to August 17 at Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde. This ambitious showcase of Nordic picture book art highlights the work of four of the region’s most prominent illustrators and authors: Tove Jansson, Ilon Wikland, Linda Bondestam, and Pija Lindenbaum. Visitors will be treated to sketches, notes, and final works, offering a rare glimpse into the creative process behind beloved characters like Ronja the Robber’s Daughter and Karlsson-on-the-Roof.
Over her career, Ilon Wikland has illustrated more than 100 books, including stories of her own childhood. Her autobiographical work, The Long, Long Journey, has been re-released by Lilla Piratförlaget to coincide with her 95th birthday. Translations are also being published in other Nordic countries, as well as in Estonia and Germany.
In Aftonbladet, critic Ingalill Mosander describes the new edition as essential reading:
“Rarely has the re-release of a beloved book felt so timely. Ilon Wikland fled across the Baltic in a fragile, rickety boat from her homeland of Estonia, which had been invaded by Soviet forces. It was 80 years ago, but we see similar tragedies unfolding in Europe today. It’s a deeply moving portrayal of a child’s vulnerability.”
The celebrations extend further. A smaller exhibition at the Estonian House in Stockholm charts Wikland’s journey from her earliest teenage works to the present. Meanwhile, in her hometown of Haapsalu, Estonia, Ilon’s Wonderland is hosting a special 95th-anniversary exhibition featuring private, rarely seen pieces from her family’s collection.
The Long Long Journey – Illustration © Ilon Wikland/Design Ilon Wikland AB
Text: Rose Lagercrantz
A lifetime of recognition
Throughout her career, Ilon Wikland has been honored with numerous awards, including the Elsa Beskow Plaque, Expressen’s Heffaklump Award, the Swedish government’s Illis Quorum Medal, and honorary prizes from both the City of Stockholm and the Swedish Publishers’ Association.
Her illustrations have brought Astrid Lindgren’s timeless tales to life, helping her works reach readers in 109 languages and dialects. Together, Lindgren and Wikland created stories that continue to enchant generations worldwide.
As Ilon Wikland celebrates her remarkable legacy at 95, her art remains a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the boundless power of imagination.
Photographer: Oskar Omne