A German art student has won a year-long right-of-use agreement for an uninhabited island off Sweden's west coast, but there is a significant catch: she must vacate the premises in June 2027. Miriam Wiskemann, 27, will become the sole guardian of the diminutive Marsten island starting next Monday. The island, measuring just 180 metres by 50 metres, attracts kayakers and paddle boarders during the summer but otherwise remains the exclusive domain of a cormorant colony.
Wiskemann is one of five winners of a competition organised by Visit Sweden. According to the tourist board's website, the initiative aimed to demonstrate that "true luxury isn't about excess, but rather about time, space and balance." Alongside the right-of-use agreement, each winner receives a travel voucher worth 20,000 Swedish krona (approximately £1,590). However, the prize does not include permanent residency, as there are no structures on the island.
Artistic Inspiration from Isolation
Miriam, who is pursuing a degree in art at the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Germany, intends to spend time on Marsten in September, gathering inspiration for her final illustration project. She remarked: "The main prize is actually the journey there." Originally from Dusseldorf, she has lived in Sweden for a year and told German news agency dpa: "Sweden just has a more relaxed pace of life that I've often found myself missing in Germany. This trip is all I'm going to be thinking about for the rest of this term."
She added: "I'll take time to cycle around the island and draw a lot of inspiration from my surroundings. Having this luxury of being able to travel there will definitely have a big influence on me." The Swedish nature and the stark seasonal differences have always inspired her and her art, she noted.
Sweden's Hidden Gems
Marsten sits among a cluster of islands roughly four miles from Sweden's western coastline. With over 267,000 islands dotting the Swedish shores, a key objective of the competition was to spotlight these hidden gems. Visit Sweden's "Your Swedish Island" campaign attracted nearly 2,500 applications from 100 countries. The other winners hail from Canada, the US, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Each will serve as guardian of their own remote island for the coming year.
Miriam, who aspires to pursue a master's degree in Stockholm, expressed excitement about the opportunity. "Having this luxury of being able to travel there will definitely have a big influence on me," she said. The island, accessible only by small boat, promises a unique experience for the art student.
