BENGT LINDSTRÖM • LARGE EXHIBITION 10 - 24 FEB
VERNISAGE WEEKEND:
SAT 10 FEB 11-15
SUN 11 FEB 11-15
THE EXHIBITION RUNS UNTIL 24 FEB
AS REGULAR OPENING HOURS
GALLERY MELEFORS
PLATENSGATAN 7, LINKÖPING
"NOW WE CLOSE THE SHOP"
Bengt Lindström (1925-2008) is one of Sweden's all-time greatest artists both through his impact at home in Sweden but also through the fact that he is the Swedish artist who is represented in the most museums internationally ever.
At Galleri Melefors, we now have the pleasure of welcoming you to "Now we close the shop", an extensive exhibition of works from Bengt Lindström's wide artistic œuvre, where you can experience everything from paintings in oil and acrylic to sculptures in ceramics and glass and lithographs from his own workshop.
The exhibition is named after the last painting in oil that Bengt Lindström completed. It is said that he sat back, looked at his finished creation and decided "now we close the shop" before putting down the oil paint for good. This historical painting is displayed as part of the exhibition and is available for sale. All works in the exhibition are for sale.
During the exhibition, you have the chance to experience works from Bengt Lindström's entire painterly journey, from his searching student days until he found the unique expression that made him world famous, together with later works from his last active years. Up close, you'll discover several of his most famous signatures such as the iconic "Y" and "Tången/The Pliars", sculptures that have become monumental works of public art in Sweden. You will find lithographic works such as the series "Svenska män & kvinnor/Swedish Men & Women" where the artist in his peculiar way portrayed ten famous faces from Swedish history as well as the ceramic works that reflect the Spirit of Air, Earth and Fire.
A warm welcome to "Now We Close The Shop", an extensive exhibition of works from Bengt Lindström's artistic life's work.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
KONTAKT@MELEFORS.COM
013 - 31 14 30
THE ENTIRE CATALOGUE
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The works in the exhibition come from one of the world's largest Lindström collectors, who for many years collected and exhibited art that he bought directly from the artist himself and his widow Michèle Lindström.
To tie together the entire story of Bengt Lindström's artistic journey, one of his very first works, painted when Bengt Lindström was only in his teens, is also shown (apart from his last oil painting); a charming portrait of a fisherman done already in the 40s when Lindström was very young and at the very beginning of his artistic career. Together with framed newspaper clippings of interviews and comments, the works are given a historical context and give the collection an exciting rigor.
Distorted faces, thick layers of paint and strong color contrasts have made Bengt Lindström recognized worldwide and today his works are included in several significant public and private collections. He is one of the few Swedish artists who has a strong international market.
PAINTINGS
Bengt Lindström's artistic expression is hard to miss. The distinctive paintings shine with strong impact; thick layers of oil paint that almost spill out of the canvas and create a vivid sense of movement. The painting radiates willpower and sensuality but also spiritual aspects that possibly come from his lifelong interest in shamanistic traditions, not least the Sami ones. Here, an almost childlike sincerity shines through, something that is often seen in the greatest artists from the post-war period; the stripped-down longing to reach the very core of expression and creation. Bengt Lindström expressed himself on several occasions by saying "You have to kill the intellect to paint".
ABOUT BENGT LINDSTRÖM
Bengt Lindström was born in 1925 in Storsjö chapel in Härjedalen and it was there that he came into contact with the Sami people, with whom he continued to have a special relationship throughout his life. The inspiration for the famous colorful colors that developed over time originates from the Sami colors. He loved to work, to develop, and what he has become most famous for are his oil paintings with dramatic expressions, often inspired by Old Norse mythology, as well as the strong, colorful colors.
After completing art studies in Stockholm (with early modernists such as Isaac Grünewald and Otte Sköld), in Copenhagen and Chicago, he went to Paris for further studies under the masters André Lhote and Fernand Léger. During the 1950s he came into contact with the COBRA group in France through his interest in the inherent power of colors. The international breakthrough came after an exhibition in Paris in 1958, and he then became a resident here throughout his working life. However, Sweden and Norrland always remained in Bengt's heart and although he was certainly influenced by the art scene in Paris, he always held on to his Swedish roots.
Bengt Lindström's artistic expression is hard to miss. The distinctive paintings shine with strong impact; thick layers of oil paint that almost spill out of the canvas and create a vivid sense of movement. The painting radiates willpower and sensuality but also spiritual aspects that possibly come from his lifelong interest in shamanistic traditions, not least the Sami ones. Here, an almost childlike sincerity shines through, something that is often seen in the greatest artists from the post-war period; the stripped-down longing to reach the very core of expression and creation. Bengt Lindström expressed himself on several occasions by saying "You have to kill the intellect to paint".
Distorted faces, thick layers of paint and strong color contrasts have made Bengt Lindström recognized worldwide and today his works are included in several significant public and private collections. He is one of the few Swedish artists who has a strong international market.
SCULPTURES
Several of Bengt Lindström's most famous sculptures such as the iconic "Y" and "Tången" have become monumental works of public art in Sweden. The Y can be found as a 30.5 meter high sculpture outside the airport in Sundsvall-Timrå, half a meter higher than the famous Colossus in Rhodes. The famous "Tången" can be found in Ljungaverk. Lindström's deep fascination for the supernatural and shamanistic can be seen, among other things, in the ceramic works that reflect the Spirit of Air, Earth and Fire.
"SWEDISH MEN & WOMEN" & MORE EDITIONS
In addition to being productive in his oil painting right up until the fall of his age, Bengt Lindström created a large number of lithographs. For many years he had his own lithographic workshop in Paris where they experimented with a number of graphic techniques and materials. In the catalog you will find several high-quality lithographs, including the series "Svenska män & kvinnor where Lindström in his peculiar way portrayed ten famous faces from Swedish history, including August Strindberg, Gustav Vasa and Selma Lagerlöf.