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Artist Statement:
Born 1959 in Stockholm Sweden.
Visual Artist, Musician,
Composer, Traveler, Story
Teller, Seeker, Believer,
Dreamer, Lust For Life, Women.
I paint to keep myself insane.
I paint anxiety to be calm.
I paint war to have peace.
I paint sadness to be happy.
I paint the dark to be in the
light.
I paint death to be alive.
I paint a story so that I
don't have to tell a story.
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Further Information
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Artist Exhibitions:
Exhibitions 2011
London, UK
Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Marbella, Spain
Neuchatel, Switzerland
Bilbao, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Malaga, Spain
Stockholm, Sweden
Bologna, Italy
Istanbul, Turkey
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Further Information
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Artist Galleries:
Represented by the following
galleries:
Gallery 21, Stockholm, Sweden
Gallery Patrice Vuillard,
Berlin, Germany
Gallery Raco 98,
Soller/Mallorca, Spain
Gallery Henarte, Malaga, Spain
Opera Gallery, Budapest,
Hungary
Gallery 212, Costa Mesa,
California, USA
Le Petite Atelier, LLeida,
Spain
Stephen Howes, Torremolinos,
Spain
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Further Information
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Artist Reviews:
Quotes:
“Johan Wahlstrom is
spontaneously, emotionally and
a story teller”
Dr. phil. Maria-Ilona
Schellenberg &<9642;
Kunstpublizistin & Dozentin
"We are drawn into a reality
of the mind playing with known
and unknown images; cultural
and spiritual continuity with
disturbing distortions." Don
Noyes-More, Editor, Downton La
Life Magazine, Los Angeles
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Further Information
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Collections:
Coming Soon!
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Commissions:
Coming Soon!
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Johan Wahlstrom Biography:
| Biographical information for Johan Wahlstrom can be found below. The artist may choose what information to display. Sometimes the artist chooses not to display personal information to the general public. |
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Age
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51
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| Gender |
Male
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| Status |
Married
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| Children |
99
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| Religion |
All and None |
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| Education |
not provided |
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| Hobbies / Interests |
art, music, horses, life |
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| Favorite Artistic Medium |
Painting Acrylic
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| Favorite Arthistory Movement |
Expressionism - (1905 - 1945)
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| Favorite Visual Artist |
Paul Klee
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| Favorite Work of Art |
not provided
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| Biggest Artistic Inspiration |
not provided |
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| Why Did You Become An Artist |
not provided |
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| Your Personal Biography |
In Marbella, Spain, Johan Wahlstrom resides amidst mountains overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. An accomplished artist and contributor to the contemporary art scene, Johan uses his unique hand to express strength and emotion using the surrounding Spanish light, intense colors and his memories of French villages. This, integrated with a natural and honest impulsivity, makes his work both a challenge and a comfort to his audience.
Mediums chosen by Johan are canvas, wood, cardboard paper and heavy paper. He uses a mixture of acrylic colors, sand, glue, water, varnish and others. He uses a knife to create the patterns within his wood creations and applies acrylic colors and water against his cotton canvas and cardboard paper paintings. Johan also utilizes sun and rain exposure to create his unique effects.
Johan's artwork leans into the realm of expressionism, abstract expressionism and outsider art. Many of his influences are German expressionists such as Paul Klee, Gabrielle Munther, Karl Schmidt-Rotluff, Christian Rohlfs plus 19th century Russian painter and musician Wassily Kandinsky and modern contemporary artists such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat. His paintings blend mostly blues, oranges and reds. Some of his other more abstract compositions are thoughtful yet carefree using unpredictable color combinations and brush stroke patterns. His woodcarvings tend to use solitary and anonymous figures with clearly identifiable colors.
Johan received an informal education in the art of observation, apprenticeship, and experience. He began as a musician and his ambition led him to drop out of high school. While on tour, he spent much of his time drawing while also forming friendships with artists in Stockholm. Johan said he "used to hang out in their studios for several years getting hints and ideas." He was also raised observing the artistic talents of his mother, Ellen Tode, his grandmother, Sigrid Tode, and Waldemar Tode, his grandmother's uncle, who is part of the National Museum of Art in Stockholm, Sweden.
His commitment to the world of visual arts wasn't until his impulsive move to France after growing sick of his time in the music business. The artist, Lennart Nystrom, resided in the same village as Johan and they became friends. Nystrom recognized Johan's talent and offered him guidance and encouragement through those first years as Johan built upon his skills and began showing his art. He approached the market at the end of the 90's and [received] a very good response from art galleries and private art collectors in Europe and in The USA." Today, Johan is actively producing his art and "very happy to be able to do this and make my living out of my art."
Johan spent a total of seven years in the south of France and many of his village scenes
( painted 2004-2006 ) are based on his memories of the old villages in Provence. "I love to mix perspectives," says Johan of his village interpretations, installing elements "in the 'wrong place.'" Johan has spent the last few years in Spain and in The USA . "The main influence in Spain is most likely the colors, there is so much orange, blue, light brown in nature here in the south of Spain and the light we have is excellent for an artist," states Johan.
Unless questioned directly about a piece, Johan prefers his audience to gain their own idea of his work based on the painting and its title. For Johan, the statement and feeling "walk hand in hand." He hopes to "communicate a message/statement where I touch viewers feelings and make their brain spin." Also, "It seems that in many of my paintings the viewer finds a piece of themselves or pieces of thoughts that they carry."
Johan has a unique approach to his work. He "[paints] out of a name," using a working title as a prompt to apiece. The title will remain if the painting stays true to the title impression. He also listens to music he feels corresponds with his current project, accenting it with "funny noises" coming from his mouth. Johan states, "I lose contact with what's going on around me and what time it is and for how long I have been painting."
Johan's musical endeavors include six albums he completed under his own name and with Johnny and the Yobs during the 80's and 90's. He embarked on several tours accompanied by many different musicians. Currently he writes songs for the band, Stockholm Stoner, and also for a publisher in Florida. Comparing his experience as an artist and his experience as a musician, Johan states: "In both cases you aim to meet an audience and your target is to communicate with the audience and to me it's about the same but in two different medias. I really like them both and hopefully one day will be able to combine the two together." Johan goes on to state a difference between the two relates to audience exposure. "As a visual artist you get more rapid responses from the viewer, you get an instant reaction during an exhibition...In music you need to get accepted on the radio but if one person in charge of the music on a station doesn't like your sound then it does not matter if there is 1000 people that do like your sound...they will still not get the chance to hear the music due to this one person."
Johan has a wide and passionate interest in contemporary humanitarian issues including politics, war, religions, family, economy, health care, and the environment. He speaks poignantly of issues surrounding the contrast between the classes: "I believe each person in a modern society should have equal possibilities for the best possible medical care...regardless if one can afford insurance or not." He finds the government's handling of the economy and particularly healthcare to be "very disturbing." He asks of today's leaders, "why do they accept this?" Sadly he says, "it comes down to the same, it's all about money."
In relation to the environment, Johan states "we cannot continue to destroy mother earth at the current speed, we need to leave something for generations to come." "We are polluting the planet to death," he says. Johan desires to help people not only through the sales of his artwork but also being able to "paint where my paintings communicate about issues that are so unfair today." Johan desires to be "one of hopefully many that makes a friendly revolution."
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