Tucked away in the terraced calm of Grubbens Trädgård on Kungsholmen, Sivert Lindblom’s sculpture group Skådespel quietly observes the city from its steps. Installed in 2000, the bronze profiles — one of Lindblom’s signature motifs — are arranged like a mute audience along Grubbens Trappor. They seem to witness a play in perpetual motion: the everyday life of Stockholmers passing by.

The setting is no accident. The terraced garden itself draws inspiration from strict Baroque designs, with its geometry and structure offering a counterpoint to the organic city beyond. The sculptures are not just aesthetic objects; each has a name inscribed on its flat side, evoking the forgotten individuals from the site’s past. In the 1800s, this area — known then as Grubbens gärde — was home to a “försörjningsinrättning,” a public institution offering food and shelter to the poor, the sick, the unemployed, and the disabled. Lindblom invites us to pause and consider these former residents — silent witnesses to a very different city — as we stroll through the now well-to-do neighborhood.

As a final touch, Lindblom added a powerful nod to classical myth: a copy of Carl Milles’ statue of Orpheus, elevated on a tall column. With his severed head raised toward the sky, Orpheus — symbol of music and art — offers a timeless reminder of the transformative power of culture. It’s a miniature echo of the original Orpheus Group found at Stockholm Concert Hall, yet here it resonates even more intimately amid the quiet terraces.

Grubbens Trädgård isn’t just a beautiful detour; it’s a layered performance of memory, art, and social reflection — a space where the past lingers quietly, in bronze and stone.