Tilpo

In this theme auction, Bukowskis presents a collection of works by the Swedish artist Hans Eriksson (b. 1960), also known as Fruls Tilpo. The collection comes from the legendary Galleri Händer on Hornsgatspuckeln in Stockholm. During the 1970s and 1980s, Galleri Händer was a gathering place for artists such as Lars Hillersberg, Peter Dahl, Kristina Elander, Gittan Jönsson, Eva Zettervall and others. The gallery owner was Hans Stenkil Leijonhufvud, known for his strong-willed nature and his original choice of artists.

Fruls Tilpo belongs to the generation of Swedish artists who, during the 1980s, developed a personal and free style of painting characterised by a strong presence and expressive power. In his early works people, animals and dreamlike environments come together in scenes filled with both humour and seriousness. Drawing inspiration from contemporary political and social issues, Eriksson created paintings that were both charged and surprising, often with a raw energy and strong use of colour that came to characterise Fruls Tilpo’s later works as well.

Since the early 2000s, Hans Eriksson has been working alongside set designer Hanna Aihonen under the name Tilpo. Together, the artistic duo has created a number of acclaimed exhibitions and art projects in Sweden and internationally, including in Finland, France, Germany and South Africa.