Ernst Billgren
"Kaffebönor" (Coffee beans)
Signed EB. Executed in 1989. Relief, mixed media and plaster. Height 120, width 125 cm, depth 11 cm.
Exhibitions
Kunsthalle Helsinki, "Ernst Billgren", 24 August - 22 September 1996.
Literature
Helsingfors konsthall, "Helsingfors festspel; Ernst Billgren”, 1996, reproduced page 87.
Designer
Ernst Billgren was born in Stockholm in 1957 and studied at Valand Academy from 1982 up until 1987. His artistic career is marked by remarkable diversity, which is quite unique in the Swedish art scene. He is a painter, printmaker, sculptor, author, debator and also worked in film and stage design. His artistic production spans over a multitude of disciplines, encompassing painting, sculpting, set design, furniture design, literature, film, and music. Across these diverse fields is a distinguishable continuity of nature, national romanticism, and mythology. Billgren demonstrates great craftmanship by being able to work in numerous materials such as mosaic, wood, bronze, cement, tile and glass. The defining characteristic of Billgren is his his bold approach to challenging conventional ideas of what constitutes good art. He blends fine art with kitsch and introduces animals and birds into refined settings, blurring traditional boundaries.
Ernst Billgren's work is known for its ability to provoke and leave a lasting impression, ensuring that viewers are engaged and often stirred by his unconventional artistic expressions.