Bukowskis presents Lena Cronqvist at Contemporary Art & Design
Contemporary Art & Design presents
Lena Cronqvist, "Patiens".
The intense silence is so saturated that it borders on the ghostlike, reminiscent of Lena Cronqvist's work in the 1970s when she depicts the “Saloon (Salongen” and those who visit the room in a series of paintings.
In the current painting "Solitaire (Patiens)" from 1975, the voices have gone quiet. The couple sits alone, the table is empty and the high chairs, covered in burgundy velvet fabric, shut out the world and the life that goes on outside the window. "In these works where the subject is toned down, Cronqvist sharpens the contrast between emptiness and emotional disposition, between precise figuration and refined simplification, perhaps as an implied message to us viewers to identify with the situation using the objects as a starting point". During this time, Cronqvist finds her inspiration in the everyday life of her elderly parents. She is exploring herself and tackles subjects that many shy away from. The depicted silence in her family portraits of the 1970s is undoubtedly among her toughest, but also the foremost carriers of her brilliant way of interpreting and exploring the significant events in life. Determinedly, she seeks to capture her parents' daily life and their existence. She wants to know, to see the truth. The family photos from 1974-1980 are among Cronqvist's strongest. Ingela Lind writes in the book "Lena Cronqvist - The Painter" 1994; "One can see them as precursors to Lars Norén's psychodramas". "Solitaire (Patience)" is an artwork that touches so deeply into the soul that time seems to stand still.
To be sold at Contemporary Art & Design. Estimate: 400 000 - 500 000 SEK.
When is the viewing and auction?
Viewing: 21–25th April, Berzelii Park 1, Stockholm.
Open: Mon–Fri 11 AM – 6 PM, Sat–Sun, 11 AM – 4 PM.
Auction: 26th April, Arsenalsgatan 2, Stockholm.