Gudmar Olovson (1936-2017)

Gudmar Olovson was one of Europe's most prominent sculptors of the 20th century. Olovson was born in Boden 1936 but primarily worked in France, where he spent almost 60 years of his life.

Olovson began his artistic journey with studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, where he was taught by Bror Hjorth and Stig Blomberg. After a brief period in Florence and Rome, he settled in Paris in 1959, first in a studio at Cité Universitaire and later in Montparnasse. Gradually, his sculptures and portraits gained attention, and Gudmar joined the community of his mentor, the well-known sculptor Jean Carton. Carton was one of the founders of "Le Groupe des Neuf," established in 1963, fervently advocating for figurative and non-academic sculpture in a world dominated by abstract and politicized art. Sculptors Paul Cornet, Jean Osouf, and Gunnar Nilsson also significantly influenced the young artist Olovson's development.

Gudmar Olovson sculpted in the French classical tradition, and his magnificent monumental works adorn several public spaces worldwide, notably in France and Sweden. He surrounded himself with the most skilled craftsmen and foundries to ensure that his finished works matched his ideas and ideals to the smallest detail.