In the wake of the Adoption Commission's conclusions, MALMÖTXT gathers some of the Scandinavia's most significant voices in adoption-critical contemporary literature for an evening about identity, belonging, and resistance.

In 2025, the Adoption Commission's investigation confirmed that systematic crimes had occurred within the adoption industry for several decades and recommended that international adoptions to Sweden should be stopped. This was the Swedish culmination of an adoption-critical movement that has grown increasingly stronger throughout the Nordic region during the 2000s. From the artist group UFOlabs' notable installations and performances, through Lee Langvad's polyphonic testimonies in the form of the poetry book "Hun er vred" and the investigative reportage "Adoptionerna" by Patrik Lundberg and colleagues, to Tobias Hübinette's diligent work in collecting and sharing knowledge about adoption, the path leads to more significant voices in Nordic adoption-critical literature. On March 24, MALMÖTXT invites you to an evening of readings and conversations with some of the brightest stars.

During the evening, we will hear the Danish poet and artist Sabitha Söderholm read from her debut book "Chellam," which depicts a woman's first meeting with her biological mother. Author Marta Söderberg will read from her latest young adult novel "Främlingskameleont," where a teenager's life with football and friends is overshadowed by new information she has received about her adoption. Cartoonist and author Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom, whose graphic novel "Palimpsest" has been translated into several languages, will read and show new material from South Korea, where she resides. Additionally, Danish professor Lene Myong will moderate a conversation with Marta Söderberg and Norwegian journalist and poet Brynjulf Jung Tjønn, whose book "Kvit, norsk mann" made a significant impact in Norway.

Would you like to read on the open stage, preferably something related to the evening's theme? Send an email to scen@malmotxt.se! If there are places left, you can also sign up on the spot.

The event is, as usual, free and open to everyone. The doors to Inkonst open at 7 PM, and the program starts at 7:30 PM.

Accessibility: The entrance to Inkonst is easily accessible for wheelchair users, and there are no major thresholds to the main stage. There is a toilet in the foyer for those with physical disabilities. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair ramp to the stage—if you use a wheelchair and want to read on the open stage, contact us, and we'll see what we can do.

MALMÖTXT 57 is carried out with support from Malmö City, Region Skåne, the Swedish Arts Council, and the Swedish Academy.

Design: Studio Båda

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PARTICIPANTS

Brynjulf Jung Tjønn was born in South Korea in 1980 and grew up in Norway. He is a journalist, poet, and author with several novels since his debut "Eg kom for å elske" in 2002. In 2022, the poetry collection "Kvit, norsk mann" was published, printed in six editions and awarded the Critics' Prize and the Nynorsk Literature Prize. In 2024, he followed it up with "Norsk kjærleik," which also deals with identity, racism, and Norwegian identity.

Sabitha Söderholm was born in India in 1989 and grew up in Denmark. Her first poetry book "Chellam" from 2022 describes a woman's first meeting with her biological mother. Chellam means "my dear" in Tamil and is what parents often call their children. The poetry suite "Månens urt" from 2023 describes the grief after a lost lover. In Söderholm's poetry, love, colonial history, and nature descriptions are intertwined.

Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom was born in South Korea in 1977, grew up in Sweden, and resides in Busan. She is a cartoonist, illustrator, and author. She debuted in 2016 with the autobiographical graphic novel "Palimpsest," which depicts her experiences of transnational adoption. In 2022, "Den uppgrävda jorden" was released, where she investigates illegal adoptions from Chile.

Marta Söderberg was born in Chile in 1980 and grew up in Strängnäs. She debuted as an author with the young adult novel "Sista chansen" in 2009. Since then, she has written several young adult novels. In 2025, the book "Främlingskameleont" was published, which has adoption and being stolen as a child as its theme and partly draws from her own experiences.

Lene Myong, whose Korean name is Cho Shin-hee, was born in 1972 in Korea and adopted to Denmark four months later. She completed her Ph.D. in 2009 with the dissertation "Adopteret: Fortællinger om transnational og racialiseret tilblivelse" and is now employed as a professor of humanities at the University of Stavanger in Norway. In her research, she often examines transnational adoption, racism, and gender identity from critical perspectives.