Hide introduction

Torsten Anderssons paintings show sculptures which certainly never existed in any other form than as paintings. Torsten Andersson started painting in the enthralling years of the 1950s between the constructivism of the time and a lyrical abstraction derived from nature. He soon discovered that he sought neither; art was no style. He was filled with untold stories and they demanded an untested and a new mode of expression, a personal way of expression that nevertheless avoided the private. This made him experiment with how far one could distance the sign from the signified without letting the pictures lose contact with the motives. Next to his forcefully coloured paintings of vegetation he hang a plank painted black to symbolise the surface of water (in Moderna Museet, Stockholm) or one painted red to symbolise the setting sun. These paintings were much discussed not least among his colleagues. After this discussion he withdrew and when he returned he came with paintings showing phenomena and other works of art that had never existed anywhere except in the paintings. There was everything from seriousness to hilariousness, but above all, a compelling presence. These unmatched forms and shapes demanded attentiveness and respect for their individuality. In the ''sculpture paintings'' of recent years the different cloths have reappeared like trivial reminders with their squares, stripes and dots. A new paradox is created. While the depicted material feels safe in their triviality the ''sculptures'' become even more unsettling and enigmatic. By painting something very tangible and concrete that does not exist anywhere but on the painted surface he gave the paintings a strong integrity. Watching these pictures is like touching lightly the sense of living for the first time.

Text by Olle Granath

Hide introduction

Hide CV

Born in 1926 in Östra Sallerup, Sweden
Lives and works in Benarp


Education

1946-1950 The Royal University College of Fine Arts (KKH), Stockholm, Sweden
1947 Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi, Köpenhamn, Denmark
1945 Otte Skölds målarskola, Stockholm, Sweden
1942 Skånska Målarskolan, Malmö, Sweden


Solo Exhibitions

2006
Falurödfärg med droppar av blod och blodfärgade skuggor, Brändström & Stene, Stockholm, Sweden

2002
Sveriges Allmänna Konstförening, Stockholm, Sweden

2002
Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsingborg, Sweden

1995
Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö, Sweden

1986
Retrospektiv, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, also showed at Malmö Konsthall 1987, Sweden

1966
Faktiska skulpturer och deras fiktiva porträtt, Galerie Burén, Stockholm, Sweden

1962
Bilder från Frosta Härad, Galerie Burén, Stockholm, Sweden

1958
Galerie Blanche, Stockholm, Sweden

1956
Bokkonsum, Stockholm, Sweden

1954
Galerie Blanche, Stockholm, Sweden


Group Exhibitions

2008
Carnegie Art Award, First Prize Winner, Sweden

2001
Konkret. Rörelser i nordisk konst under 1900-talet, Dansmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden

2000
Oskuldens århundrade – den vita monokromens historia, Rooseum, Malmö/ Liljevalchs, Stockholm, Sweden

1999
Zeitwenden, Kunstmuseum, Bonn, Wien, Austria

1998
Carnegie Art Award, Touring exhibition in Scandinavia

1997
Louisianautställningen, Louisiana Museum for Moderne Kunst, Humlebaek, Denmark
Samlat ljus, The Modern Museum International Program/ Riksutställningar. Touring exhibition in Australia, Singapore and Sweden

1994
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden

1990
Tretton Samtida, Waldemarsudde, Stockholm, Sweden

1983
Biennalen, Sao Paulo, Brazil

1981
Sextant, Six Artistes Suédois Contemporains, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

1979
Ur dagens läge (Skåne), Galleri Händer, Stockholm, Sweden

1969
Redovisning 1969, Galleri Östergren, Malmö, Sweden

1964
Biennalen, Venice, Italy

1961
Ungdomsbiennalen, Paris, France

1959
Biennalen, Sao Paulo, Brazil


Selected Bibliography

2008
Torsten Andersson, ”Torsten Andersson”, Torsten Anderssons Stiftelse

2002
Magnus Jensner, Torsten Andersson, Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsingborg
Lars Nittve, ”Som ett norrsken”, Torsten Andersson, SAK

1999
Lars O Ericsson, ”Galleriet”, Dagens Nyheter 31 januari 1999
(omtryckt i Lars O. Ericsson I den frusna passionens heta skugga, Stockholm, 2001)

1998
Magnus Bons, ”En målning är inte en bild – om några verk av Torsten Andersson”, Konstvetenskapliga institutionen, Stockholms universitet, Stockholm

1997
Lars O. Ericsson, Jag har haft tur två gånger i livet, Dagens Nyheter 23 oktober 1997

1995
Ernst Billgren, Konst som Språk, konst som sport, Paletten 1/1995

1992
Gert Z Nordström, Det oförstådda språket, Paletten 3/ 1992

1994
Bengt Adlers, Torsten Andersson och vägen till språket, Torsten Andersson, Svensk nutidskonst 5, Esbjerg 1994

1995
Lars-Göran Oredsson, Han lämnade allfarvägen, Svenska Dagbladet 13 maj 1995

1994
Torsten Renqvist, Torsten Andersson, Flisor, Stockholm 1994

1987
Bo Nilsson, Den moraliska skönheten, Sydsvenska Dagbladet 7 mars 1987

1986
Ingamaj Beck, Skyll inte på Einstein!, Aftonbladet 1 november 1986
Sören Engblom, ”Ta ett T och ställ det i vatten”, Expressen 8 november
1986
Lars Nittve, Benarpsvägen, Torsten Andersson, Moderna Museet, Stockholm 1986
Staffan Schmidt, Paroll mot förstening, Arbetet 9 november 1986

1977
Olle Granath, Man måste se både inåt och utåt, Dagens Nyheter 12 januari 1977

1966
Olle Granath, Vid språkets gräns, Dagens Nyheter 18 december 1966
Bengt Olvång, Asketism på gränsen till självförnekelse, Aftonbladet 15 december 1966

1963
Lars Forssell, Torsten Andersson, Stockholm

1962
Lars Forssell, katalogförord, Galerie Burén, Stockholm
Ulf Linde, Bilder från Frosta Härad, Dagens Nyheter 9 november 1962

1959
Ulf Linde, tecken för kännetecken…., Konstrevy 2/1959
Ulf Linde, En tidsenlig, Dagens Nyheter 8 oktober 1958


Hide CV

Hide other project
Hide other project