Homecoming

A painting long forgotten. Until, one day, it caught somebody’s attention; a customer, as it turned out.

A painting long forgotten, then remembered. Re-membered, integrated: additional lapis lazuli pigment to deepen the colour blue – “light coming into being“. More of the all absorbing, finely ground charcoal for the black circle. The floating tadpole figure outlined anew in charcoal, and graced with gold leaf within. Overall proportions trimmed before mounting between acrylic glass sheets, cut to shape. Then carefully packed for transport…

…and delivered to a private home, situated on an island in the archipelago of Stockholm. Here, a number of smaller artworks were reshuffled along the walls to make space for this one. Good neighbours they will be, for sure… Two windows are providing daylight – one facing east, the other south. Outside, the sky is clear and trees are leafing. Indoors, sunlit rooms still echo from a grand piano long time gone. And so, the painting finally has found its place.

Thank you, B and A, for your hospitality!

This I Know (final version); tempera, charcoal and gold leaf on paper, 200 x 120 cms

Musical Quarter Interlude: Art and Spirit

art, curating, painting, recent work, time-out

“Art and Spirit – like a twelve-tone scale, the works of eleven artists sound in the Musical Quarter. The exhibition takes place on all floors within the building – in the doorway, the entrance hall and stairwells, in the foyers and the concert spaces.”

A one-day-only exhibition at Stockholm’s Musical Quarter, curated by Tobias Sjöberg – up and running from noon at Saturday, March 11th, into the wee hours of the night when the last guests are leaving the party.

Tobias Sjöberg at work; photo HHW.

ART AND SPIRIT
participating artists:

Amanda Cardell

Beata Fransson

Helena Hildur W.

Jakob Sjöstedt

Jouko Mario

Margrethe Sjöberg

Mats Adelman

Stefan

Tiago Altink

Tobias Sjöberg

Viktor Kopp

– – –

Friday, March 10th: gathering together to hang the artworks. A colourful curtain – made for the occasion by Amanda Cardell – will greet every guest at the main entrance. In the Clara Schumann hall, works by Viktor Kopp and myself have found their place, waiting quietly for tomorrow’s artsy sounds, klezmer swing and late night disco. Manager Andil Dahl always seems to be in the right place to make everything run smoothly.
(below)

Amanda Cardell: “Entering” (behind the entrance doors); a drapery of ribbons

Viktor Kopp: “Door and line”; oil on canvas 160 x 170cms

Andil and Johan discussing lighting matters

HHW: three diary paintings; oil on wood panel

HHW: four monthly pictures; blood, ashes and chinese ink on silk

(above)
Hanging completed in the Clara Schumann hall; on display from my part are three diary paintings (oil on wood panel) and four monthly pictures (blood, ashes and chinese ink on silk).

In the first floor foyer, painted wood sculptures by Tiago Altink are put on display. At the second floor, Jakob Sjöstedt’s sculptural sounding objects interplay with scenic elements of the locale. Missing on photo are Margrethe Sjöberg’s embroidered birds of fantasy, and Jouko Mario’s enigmatic paintings opening up to views of strange streets and buildings.
(below)

Installing sculptures by Tiago Altink

Tiago Altink: painted wood sculpture

Jakob Sjöstedt: “Signal”/”Untitled”; loudspeaker elements, sand, sound / reeds, deer skull, copper plate, parts of a torn-down kitchen

In the stairwells, Mats Adelman builds exquisite cabinets where the night fly finds rest and the barn owl can be seen flying… The old and the new meet in the third floor foyer, where Beata Fransson’s playful photographic sculpture echoes the brick wall of a building across the street.

Halfway down another staircase, Stefan’s self portrait is a world in itself; I’m humbled and grateful to have my cloud drawing placed next to it.

Missing here are Tobias Sjöberg’s Octave – watercolour paintings covering two huge windows, creating a quiet virtual space opening to pure colour; turning the room into a floating vessel, carrying living people and pale plaster muses along outside of time …
(below)

Mats Adelman: “Subforest”; installation with sculpture and drawings

view from the third floor foyer

Beata Fransson: “Corner”; black and white print on woodprin

HHW: cloud drawing; graphite on paper

Stefan: untitled; watercolour and pencil on paper

Saturday, March 11th: giving the installations a last finish; then removing tools and ladders, doing a bit of cleaning up; and, the Art and Spirit exhibition is up by noon. At four o’clock, the Swedish Wind Ensemble gathers for a sounding parade around the neighbourhood. When they return, guests are already queuing to get inside. Scendödsfestival sets off – let the party begin!

Brenda El Rayes, Breathing Slowly… (1/4)

Brenda El Rayes, Breathing Slowly… (2/4)

Brenda El Rayes, Breathing Slowly… (4/4)

Brenda El Rayes, Breathing Slowly… (3/4)

Teodor Wolgers & Friends (1/2)

Teodor Wolgers & Friends (2/2)

Business

art, painting

The driving force of the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) may have been about re-imagining an existing body of work, and co-creating in the here-and-now; yet, the creative drift is inseparably followed by a shadow called economy. Landlords and art material dealers rarely give their goods away; artists have basic human needs as well. Most of us therefore work part or full time in parallel professions (salaried). Hence, I feel the importance of recognizing when someone steps up, willing to actually pay for the artist’s work; especially when that someone is an individual with limited resources, who just happens to be touched by what they experience. This post is for you – to acknowledge the importance of your support; for the artist, it means encouragement and economic relief. For the artwork itself, it means fulfillment.

above: Snowdrop (left); Spring snowflake (right);
charcoal, chalk and watercolour on paper,
each 120 x 175 cms
below: car packed, heading for home

Dear customers from near and far – I’m deeply grateful for our exchanges: for hours spent together under the hot studio roof, meticulously packing two large drawings for a long car transport; for the spirited talk and delicious ice chocolate cake shared in a beautiful 19th century Stockholm apartment; for all your sensitivity and recognition; and for the influx to my bank account, as well as to Médecins Sans Frontiers (as part of a deal). I hope your purchases keep giving you joy, each day to come!

diary painting 191211 03,
oil and blackboard paint on wood panel;
40,5 x 20 cms

Art’s Birthday 2022: Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images

art, curating, painting, recent work, time-out

The Watertower opening up

“Fold a Hat” spot outside the Watertower

Playing sound bowl and ice

Ice installation by Julia Adzuki and Patrick Dallard

the green octave, paintings by Helena Hildur W.

the green octave, projections by Johannes Ferm Winkler

Art’s Birthday 2022: Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images in Gnesta’s Old Watertower

Finally, let’s celebrate! The doors of the Watertower are open; inside, guests are welcomed by an installation of light and ice, glass and water. The green octave paintings – modest in size – are on display along one of the walls. Upon the next three sides of the tower, the pictures transfigure into light projections, opening up to an imaginary summer day.

the Green Octave, projections by Johannes Ferm Winkler

For myself, this is a process equally wondrous and interesting; from the beginning, years ago, where I take a walk immersed in the light and sounds of the surroundings; next, converting my impressions to a small-sized painting; leading up to this joint venture, where the landscape re-emerges by technical means… or, sprung from the inner nature of human minds. The space floating with light and sound… the landscape transcended.

On Monday, January 17, the Art’s Birthday network* will support a webradio streaming, where 25+ art spaces around the globe – from Tokyo to Vancouver – will share photo and audio streams in an interactive mesh.

Above: Fold a Hat outside the Watertower, Gnesta 2022; photos by Johanna Dahl and HHW.
Below: Robert Filliou, Rome 1972; photo by Joaquín Romero

* About Art’s Birthday worldwide: the event was first proposed in 1963 by French artist Robert Filliou, as a public holiday to celebrate the presence of art in our lives. In recent years, the idea has been taken up by a loose network of artists and friends around the world, welcoming new partners working with the ideas of exchange and telecommunications-art. Since 1963, Art’s Birthday has generated parties and gatherings, correspondence and mailart, sound and video art, music composed for telephone lines, radio and (starting in the mid 1990’s) for the Internet – and, following Fillou’s example, the folding of paper hats.