“One could say that I explore different ways of understanding our reality. I attempt to expand narratives and perspectives on life that I find intriguing. Some are dark, others are light. Everything that meets within me, in my mental experience of the world, meets on the canvas,” says Jonatan Pihlgren.
Jonatan Pihlgren’s artistic works explore a stark reality full of ideals and shortcomings. Many of his paintings are personal and have connections to his own life. They depict stories of our contemporary society and a daily life filled with emotions, warmth, love, anxiety, and worry. Here, family, friends, and animals emerge where the real suddenly breaks into surrealistic whims. Together, Pihlgren’s works form a captivating narrative about art and life.
Pihlgren’s style with intense colors is based on a layering technique and is fearless, playful, and original. He draws inspiration from literature, film, and art history. The extensive exhibition offers a deep dive into Pihlgren’s artistic practice, with over 100 paintings and sculptures on display, including both existing works and several new ones.
In the new program series Respons, other artists and writers are invited to interpretations and discussions in relation to Pihlgren’s works.
“The Hour of the Wolf” is a concept coined by Ingmar Bergman for the film of the same name. It’s the hour between night and dawn when most people die, nightmares are at their most real, and the sleepless are haunted by their deepest anxieties. However, the wolf hour is also the hour when most children are born.
