Paintings by Johan Wahlstrom
First Thursday reception April 7, 6-8PM
Exhibition Duration: April 7-July 3, 2016
Organized by Lara Pan who wrote the following synopsis and biography:
Johan Wahlstom is one of today’s brightest
artists who is making a conscious effort to describe the social political
landscape of our contemporary world. The work is relevant on many levels. His
use of political iconography and brash painting style brings to the fore a raw
juxtaposition of issues facing everyday life. The use of corporate media’s
images and information gathered from various news outlets are the underpinnings
of his compositions. A narrative emerges that is a time capsule of our society
today. A sharp critique of fascism and authoritarianism is a reoccurring theme
throughout. In his current series, “House of Lies” Wahlstrom depicts a world
full of deception, ignorance and chaos.
In some of his monochromatic paintings streaks of black tears connect
distorted faces, creating a chorus of potentially suffering voices in a
singular composition.
The
titles of the work may be ironic at times but the painting’s narratives strike
a true emotional chord with the politically engaged viewer.
Biography
Johan
Wahlstrom was born in 1959 in Stockholm, Sweden, and is a fifth-generation
artist on his mother’s side. Though art was in his blood, his first creative
direction was rock and roll, where he had a successful and long career as a
keyboardist and singer, touring with Ian Hunter, Graham Parker, Mick Ronson and
many Scandinavian artists. After 18 years, the rock and roll life caught up
with him. Wahlstrom moved to a small village in France where he did nothing but
paint for seven years, part of that time under the tutelage of Swedish artist,
Lennart Nystrom. Wahlstrom’s dark narrative paintings of heads and torsos in
acrylic and ink are inspired by cryptic, often ironic social critiques that he
collects on scraps of paper in his studio in Malaga, Spain, where he now lives.
Wahlstrom’s graphic, neoexpressionist style is inspired by Jean DuBuffet, Paul
Klee and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Since 1999, Wahlstrom’s work has been displayed
in galleries across Europe and the US, and was a highlighted artist .
