The Stockholm School of Economics today holds an impressive art collection that not only enhances the environment but also encourages creativity, reflection, and dialogue. Adam Smith’s Amphorae by Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg is a work of art that carries several layers of meaning:
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A tribute to trade. For thousands of years, amphorae enabled the transport of wine, olive oil, and grain – an early form of globalization, long before container shipping.
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A reminder of Adam Smith’s ideas. Free trade and open markets remain highly relevant, but Smith also emphasized the importance of seeing economics in light of human emotions and social bonds.
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A mirror of our time. The amphorae can be interpreted as falling bombs – a reminder that trade and conflict are often intertwined, and that we must constantly reflect on their relationship.
Thanks to the donors: Dan Sehlberg, Filippa Lindström, Eirik Winter, Gustav Bard, Carl Hirsch, Stefan Hellberg, Sebastian Alexanderson, and Jon Åsberg. And thanks to Lars Strannegård, Bobby Lundqvist, and Tinni Ernsjöö Rappe at the Stockholm School of Economics.
