Roundtrip: New York – Gotland.
If you're in the Chicagoland area, don't miss Peter Åström‟s Roundtrip: New York – Gotland, an exhibition of paintings, drawings, and photographs, which will be on display from June 19 through Sept.13 in the Swedish American Museum‟s gallery.
Roundtrip: New York – Gotland refers to two geographical points that have influenced Peter Åström, a Swedish-born artist who has resided in New York since mid-1970. During the summers he and his family live in Gotland, a Swedish island of barrenness and natural beauty.
Commenting on Åström‟s art, Angelica Blomhage, curator at the Gotland Museum of Art, notes, “Motifs and influences from New York street life are mixed with elements from Gotland‟s nature and costal landscapes. Poppies and „rauks‟ – rock formations – are presented side by side with hip-hop dancers and a metropolitan beat.”
Roundtrip: New York – Gotland consists of large-scale coloristic paintings, drawings, sketches, and photographic collages. Åström plays with simple lines, strong colors, and collected objects in his work.
He attended the Berghs School of Design in Stockholm and the School of Visual Arts in New York. He has had one-man exhibitions across the United States, including the Carrie Secrist Gallery in Chicago, The Gallery in Mexico City, and the Gotland Museum of Art in Visby, Sweden. Åström had recently his work displayed at Ralph Pucci gallery in New York in September 2008 and in Los Angeles during April 2009.
The Swedish American Museum is located at 5211 N. Clark Street, just a half block north of the Clark Street / Foster Avenue intersection. More info on the museum: http://www.nordstjernan.com/news/midwest/684/
The Museum can be reached at 773.728.8111, www.SwedishAmericanMuseum.org, and email Museum@samac.org.
