Johan Priebe Swedish, b. 1989

I have long reflected on the term maskrosbarn, but what does it really mean? Is it a symbol of strength, or merely a label given only to those who succeed?

“Maskrosbarn are children who have it difficult at home but manage to get by anyway, much like a dandelion can grow up through the asphalt.” (Wikipedia 2025)

A beautiful metaphor, certainly. But what do we then call the children who don’t make it? Those who, in the shadow of the heavy asphalt, never reach the light in order to bloom?

I rejoice in the stories of those who, despite difficult circumstances, succeed. Articles about maskrosbarn who have fought their way forward are often adorned with strong phrases like “Against all odds” and “Despite their troubled background.” The words inspire hope and offer a glimpse into a hard childhood that has, in some way, been overcome.

At the same time, the designation unsettles me in my interpretation of it. Maskrosbarn refers to childhood—a time we do not choose ourselves. Yet the title seems only to be granted to those who eventually succeed. What then of the others? Those who struggle but do not “win”? Their struggle is just as real, yet they remain nameless.

It was from this thought that this work emerged. A maskrosbarn that has not yet bloomed. Not yet withered. It simply is. In my world, all children who struggle should be allowed to bear the title, regardless of what happens in the next chapter.

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