The massive, frenetic scenes painted by Fredrik Söderberg pull from mythology and art history. Using watercolors and taking notes from cultures across the globe, he uses a knack for lush environments to pull together otherwise disparate elements.
“In life and art, Fredrik Söderberg has always taken a keen interest in questions of faith, ethics and the shortcomings of human beings, searching for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind human behaviour and its implications in a historical context,” a statement says. “Art history, philosophy, spirituality and existential queries infuse Söderberg’s artistic process and serve as a backdrop for his work. His oeuvre encompasses skilfully executed watercolours, abstract paintings and richly illustrated publications.”
Works such as “Krigarens väg / The Warrior’s Path” (above), blend the gruesome with the elegant. See more of the artist’s work below.
In Jillian Denby’s voyeuristic, yet expansive paintings, people engage in both everyday activity as well as the unexpected. When viewed as a whole, her scenes offer a connectedness between its parties that each likely couldn’t see themselves. With works like "Genius of the River Chases Away The Frenzy of Art," the reality of what’s human and what’s art itself is blurred. “Nature can be overwhelming and landscape a little removed. With that in mind and viewing it directly, I try to acknowledge its presence, while conceptualizing a fragile observational dialogue,” the artist has said.
Anna Weyant’s stirring paintings offer both autobiographical imagery and universal examinations of life’s stages. Recent shows, like "Welcome to the Dollhouse" at 56 HENRY, are contemplative and elegant in execution. That show, in particular, was a showcase of the artist’s cinematic sensibility.
In Louie Cordero’s surreal and riveting paintings, the artist’s command of texture and mood sets his work apart. Cordero, hailing from the Philippines, is currently featured in a group show at Gallery Poulsen titled “Inoperative Halo,” along with painter Eric White and sculptor Jud Bergeron. (The show runs through Dec. 21 at the Copenhagen venue.)
Sometimes life throws a wrench into our comfy plans and we’re faced with some big questions. As an artist, the question often is – do I quit and accept the defeat? Or, do I rise up triumphantly and make something beautiful to recapture this moment? Anthony Hurd is an artist that has learned to embrace the surprises in life as well as in his work, creating images that seem to arrive to us from some distant land. He depicts psychedelic landscapes of perilous beauty.