“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes.”
―Arshile Gorky
With a keen interest in visual expression in art and design, Gustav Hjelmgren found inspiration in the works of the early abstract expressionists. Gustav began himself to experiment with squeegees on canvas, working with layer upon layer of oils, searching for his own unique expression. These layers of oil paint symbolise for him the multiple layers of life – enticing the viewer to be curious of what lies behind and beyond. They are also a symbol for diversity, as the various layers of paint and colour find harmony on his canvas, very often in unexpected combinations.
Even more inspiration comes from his deep connection with nature – a walk in the woods, a stroll through the open fields in the countryside, a proximity to water and the power of the open sea. Everything is connected.
Gustav Hjelmgren’s work mirrors his perception of reality and his inner state in that precise moment of painting, sometimes revealing things that he was not immediately aware of. As Gustav himself says, the act of painting has a great healing effect, of being able to accept what is and what is not.