Linn Fernström
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”Tre målare”
Signed Linn Fernström and dated 2006 verso. Canvas 190 x 260 cm.
Provenance
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm.
Exhibitions
Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm, "20 år! - Stipendiater Maria Bonnier Dahlins Stiftelse 1985-2005", 24 September - 17 December 2006.
Literature
Lars Bohman Gallery, "Linn Fernström, Målningar 2006 - 2008", 2008, illustrated p. 9
More information
Linn Fernström's “Tre Målare” is a captivating work that invites the viewer to dive into the artist's self-reflective world. In this painting, Fernström depicts herself in three different self-portraits, capturing the moment of painting dragonflies - a symbolic and recurring motif in her art. These self-portraits serve as portals to a deeper conversation about identity, creativity and the mysteries of nature, allowing the viewer to reflect on their own relationship to art and reality.
In “Tre Målare”, nature and animals are central elements. Birds soaring through the painting remind us of freedom and transcendence, while dragonflies represent fragility and transformation. At the same time, the child placed in the painting with the artist creates an additional dimension of innocence and wonder, which is characteristic of Fernström's work. The painting's subtle balance between the real and the unreal, between fantasy and the concrete presence of nature, gives a sense of being in a borderland where anything is possible.
In the present work, traditional representation is transcended and instead becomes a reminder of what lies beyond our senses. Fernström's paintings are both delicate and powerful, capturing the viewer with their sharp detail and ability to illuminate existential questions. Through her skillful technique and artistic courage, she creates a world where the otherworldly and the everyday meet, inviting the viewer to confront questions about the nature of reality and dreams.
Fernström uses her body as a tool for storytelling, giving her work a deeply personal character. In the auction painting, she invites the viewer to explore both the inner and outer worlds, where the composition is both playful and serious. The dramatic contrast between the bright, open backgrounds and the lively, almost hypnotic figures makes the viewer completely absorbed in the work.
Linn Fernström, born in Örebro in 1974, is one of Sweden's most prominent contemporary artists with a career that spans international galleries and institutions, including Liljevalchs Konsthall and the Venice Biennale. She studied at Idun Lovén and the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (1995-2000) and made her breakthrough in 2001 at Lars Bohman Gallery. Her work, which often depicts people and animals in surrealist settings, explores themes such as death, love and man's relationship with nature, which has captivated both Swedish and international viewers.
With its strong presence and complex expression, “Tre Målare” captures the essence of Linn Fernström's art, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy are blurred, and the viewer is given the opportunity to meet both the artist and the universe she creates.
Artist
Linn Fernström is a Swedish artist born in Örebro in 1974. She studied at the Idun Lovén Art School and continued her education at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm between 1995 and 2000. In 1999, Fernström held her first solo exhibition at Galleri Mejan, which marked the beginning of a successful career that included several major solo shows, such as Liljevalchs in Stockholm.
Fernström's paintings often feature a bright background combined with strong, vivid colors. Her subjects revolve around people and animals, spanning between idyllic and nightmarish, playful and serious themes. With light brushstrokes and an airy composition, Fernström addresses themes such as death and love. It's challenging to discern whether the figures are flying or falling as she experiments, plays, and moves objects around; birds, injured bodies, monkeys, balloons, and plants. Her style often embodies realism with nods to classical painting infused with elements of symbolism and surrealism. Her paintings can be monumental in size, and Fernström enjoys depicting herself. Her renowned works have fetched high prices at art auctions during the 2000s, such as ' De tre kvinnorna,' 'Ballongerna', and the self-portrait 'Bortbytingen'.
Linn Fernström's works are represented in collections such as the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Malmö Art Museum, and Linköping Art Museum.