CHART 2016: GALLERI MAGNUS KARLSSON

Illustration and figurative painting often have a hard time finding its place on the established nordic galleries which is dominated by minimalism, abstraction and conceptual art. However, a gallerist has managed to make room for the craft-based, figurative art and with great success.

Magnus Karlsson started his gallery in 1990 in Västerås, 100 km west of Stockholm and already then he attracted attention for his different approach. In 1997 he moved his gallery to Stockholm and is now situated in the city center, at the ground floor of The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. Magnus focuses on swedish artists and exposing them to an international audience. He is representing artists such as Mamma Andersson, Sara-Vide Ericson, Klara Kristalova and Jockum Nordström.

Galleri Magnus Karlsson | All photos by Rikke Luna & Matias © I DO ART Agency.

We visited Galleri Magnus Karlsson in the days leading up to Jockum Nordström’s När ingen vandrar vägen fram, då vandrar vägen själv sitt damm, and we got to follow the final preparations of the show. The exhibition included various mediums such as drawing, collage and sculpture, all with a tactile, layered and melancholic feel that characterizes Jockum’s work.

In our video below you can hear Magnus Karlsson talk about how he got into the gallery world, his work with the artists and why he compares being a gallerist with being in the kitchen. We have made the film in collaboration with Chart Art Fair where Galleri Magnus Karlsson will be present.

Chart Art Fair runs from the 26th - 28th of August, 2016 at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen. More info here.