Ragnhild Lunden
Being represented in various international venues and collections, how do you think international recognition has impacted your career? Is there a particular exhibition or acquisition that stands out as particularly meaningful to you?
1990 I was invited to participate at the Osaka Triennale of Painting, Osaka, Japan.
I was invited to be one of 126 to participants from countries all over the world. NUNSKY ( at the time the name of the organization for supporting Swedish artists to attend abroad.)
The Osaka Triennale gave me friends as well as contacts.
The Director Imada of the ABC Gallery, a part of the ABC Institute, came up to me there with an invitation to have a solo show at the ABC gallery 1994 on which I proudly agreed.
The Ambasador of Sweden came down to Osaka to inaugurate it.
He also invited me to have a solo exhibition at the Embassy, as a part of the Sweden- Japan Campaign, which was going to take place all over Japan under the protection oh HKH. Princess Viktoria.
One of my aquaintences from the Triennale, the artist Yutaka Matsuda invited me to exhibit at his gallery, Galerie H.O. In Osaka.
Ms. Fukuda had read about my exhibition and came to ABC gallery asking me to exhibit with her gallery, the Galeria Finarte. I got galerie representation with them for 3 years.
Felix Pedersen one of the participants in Osaka invited me to exhibit at the Remisen International workshop in Brande, Denmark.
It run every spring three weeks during 3 years.
It was rewarding, all materiel were free as were the possibilities to try out new ways of working for example welding and working with wood under superveillance of professionals in Brande.
I was the winner of the big prize.
One adventure lead to the next.
In your view, how essential are elements like color, form, and material in art for expressing both outward appearances and inner emotions? Can you discuss how your choice of abstract forms and vibrant colors serves as a language to connect with your audience? What do you hope they feel or understand through your work?
Are essential parts of my artistry. For me they create unity , which I can not do without.
Every stroke of paint must have form. Black and white that are not considered colors must also have form. The too may vibrate.
I dive into my paintings, expressing my feelings of joy, sorrow and despair.
I throw color violently on the canvas.
I analyze it like plump of Dworshack, sort it out, try to get in some kind of order, removing, putting back agai and again until I finally find my picture.
It’s my way catching feelings and glue them on my surface.
When a picture is ready it serves as a contemplation Point for me.
My hope is that someone else also May look
At my work finfint a part of themselves.
How do you select the materials you use in your paintings? Is there a particular material that you feel best conveys the depth of your artistic expressions?
Acrylic suits me perfectly.
It dries fast. The color can become overlapping, covering each other with transparent effect.
There are also different acrylics that can build or give rough texture.
Diluting the acrylics with a lot of water they are very alike aquarelle.
They can be used of almost anything as long as it is’ fatty.
When it comes to tools you do not need special ones.
Slabs of paper or tissue, hands and fingers are super as of course brushes of different kinds, knives, scrapes etc work.
To remove hardened unwisched parts that is dry it industrial alcohol work relatively well.
Many argue about the necessity of art in society. What is your stance on this? How do you see your art contributing to or enhancing the community and cultural dialogue?
I just finished a well visited exhibition. A home for elderly people was situated close to the gallery.
The lodgers showed a great interest, really looked at the pictures and asked a lot of questions.
I noticed that they often returned more than once. They talked to me as well as to other visitors.
Art brings people together. Some of them returned to enjoy certain paintings. For me it was rewarding.( as a part of the project, I exhibited myself as a painter in a studio- why I was often present)
During a part of my school time, corresponding collage,they were a lot of paintings on the walls as well as on the roof by the Swedish painter Carl Larsson. We were all proud of them. When we later met we talked about them .
At hospitals in Sweden you can find art that influences you , when sitting on a hard chair or are bedbound.
That may distract you. Art start the brain and do you good.
In offices with art on its walls, the personnel often are well acquainted with it.
Positive or negative that does not matter. They are alerted.
Since artists live here and now they express the time they live in.
Art is important. Culture is necessary !
Exhibitions often serve as a platform for artists to reach a wider audience. Can you share how your participation in international exhibitions, such as the Osaka Triennale, has influenced your career?
I got a nice start when I was admitted to the Osaka Triennial of Painting in the end of 1990, during my first year as an exhibiting artist.
In Osaka I met a lot of interesting people and got recommendations to further exhibitons
The Remisen International Workshop was running for 3 years, 3 weeks at a time in Brande, Denmark.
I was recommended by Felix Pedersen, one of the Osaka exhibitors. I was happy to also extend this exhibition to Venita Salnajjs, with whom I had been pen pal since Osaka and also visited me for a week in Sweden after her exhibition at the National Gallery in Lithuania. I also invited Yukata Matsuda and Minori Misori.
My exhibition at the Theodore Museum of Contemporary Art 1991 was also due to a recommendation from an exhibitor in the Triennale.
I am still in contact with the director Ph. D Theo Kwack .we3xcange ideas and are now planning an exhibition in Seoul.
When I at a time I settles in Germany, I became a member of BBB, (the art association for professional artists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland) Of course I already was a member of the Swedish KRO)
I exhibited in Galerie der Kunsler for some years and at galerie Autoren and got representation at the Leipziger Geeandthaus via a donation by the Conductor Herbert Blomstedtvwho I met during one of my exhibitions in Melbourne.
My contact with Ph.D Khalid Khreis, General Director of the Jordan National Museum of Contemotary Art became a milestone for me.we got friends and together we created the Dance of Visions where artists from Jordan and Sweden were meant to get in contact and exhibit together at the museum in Jordan and at Röda Sten in Gothenburg. It was a Duveds very well covered by media and visiters. It is still talken about in Sweden as well as in Jordan. Jordan even builtva kind of copy of Röda Sten in Amman.
I also exhibited s fre yrats stereo in the museum in Amman.
My latest contact is Contemporary Art Collectors. I wonder where that will lead.
Over the years, what do you consider your most significant achievements in the art world? Are there any awards, recognitions, or moments that have been particularly validating for you as an artist?
I believe that it is getting to know Interesting characters in the Art world, how art works and what art is.
Over the years I believe that my work with Dr. Khreis , when creating Dance of Visions I , II and III. Was among my most rewarding experiences.
The two first were sheer success.
With the Dance of Visions III ,the inauguration of the mobile exhibition hall placed close to the Arab Museum in Paris and created by Zaha Hadid one of famous architects in the world was to be hold.
The exhibition was meant to get great artists from the Middle East to get to know some of the greatest artists from Europe .
I thought I could make such a project working.
I started with inviting The person in charge of exhibitions at the Arab Museum Badr Eddine Arodaky to come to Sweden and discuss the project. He was very positive.
I was in contact with the elite in western art. I went to Düsseldorf meeting Tony Cragg, to London meeting Bill Woodrow an then to Paris contacting the curators of George Baselitz and Kiefer. All were positive. I was very proud.
I found out who the artists from the Middle East I wanted wu could function with the European elite. That was not easy.
When getting it all together after 3 years we met for the fourth time at the Arab museum to set the final date.
The staff at the Arab Museum suddenly talked about totally different money for us.
All turned into a million euros project.that was impossible for us as unsuspected after all positive earlier meetings.
Dr Khreis , indeed more chastened
and experienced than me was not shocked as I was. He had had his doubts about them.
Badr Erin Arodaky retired.
A Saudi princess had taken over the inauguration.
Your work is represented in multiple countries and prestigious locations. How important is this global presence to you, and what does it say about the universal appeal of your art?
Since Sweden is a small country, and I have had possibilities as well as liked going abroad, I have been very much influenced by international art.
I essentially had my earliest experiences in Paris.
I spent a lot of time there. I took a week at a time.
When the Louvre opened in the morning, I went there and draw, sitting at the flor.onlu pausing at lunch. I did the same with the impressionists at Musee Jeu de Paume. I could look at a Monet for hours, scrutinizing it cm after centimeter, another time it was Musee Rhodin etc
I introduced myself to contemporary art at Centre Georges Pompidou.
After my adventures I went Back to Sweden and painted eagerly. As well as studied all the heavy catalogues I had bought. I went back many times, repeated it on and on.
I understood that though the Academy of Art in Gothenburg was rewarding, I also needed the solitude to develop in my own pace.
Later I started to visit the great galleries and became. Really up to date, which of course influenced my devellopement.
From Osaka and onward I got opportunities to exhibit abroad.
I have been fortunate, been well received, got fine critics and been represented in important collections.
I love clear colors. Form is mandatory- and light, l love it.
Matisse is with me every day in my studio.
I have been influenced by so many foreign artists that it must have set some standards.
By the young artists today I love Peter Doig the most. I almost feel that he is a part of me.
Since Sweden ,where I was born,is a small country with a narrow art community , it is mandatory to be successful abroad to come home and be welcome in Sweden. How do they otherwise recognize you. I believe it is in every artists hart to be successful in one’s native country.
In today's digital age, how do you approach the online presentation and archiving of your work? Are there specific platforms or websites where your audience can view or learn more about your art?
Now the World has entered a new arena, the GlobalArt Arena.
Even our smart phones bring us into it.
It is easy to keep updated.
To be seen is more difficult, and time consuming.
I use my cell phone for both.
Instagram is easy to work with.
It is the place to explore the art world, getting contacts and search for art.
Art history is there. There are plenty of art lovers out there. Every kind of art has a platform. The future is always there.
( it is not where you find your friends an their daily life- that you find on Facebook , where you also can see art)
Create an account at Instagram! That is not tricky. You can have a private account!
You download it from App Store and start.
At the bottom line of your start page you will see a small circle. Press on that and you reach a page with pictures. On top of it you can search a gallery, a museum contemporary art collectors and why not me.
You can virtually reach anything you are interested in. If you use #raglunden you reach my internet site. With a # followed by a name you can reach other peoples pages and even comment if they are not private.
As an artist I may want to be seen at moma( the famous metropolitan musem in New York )
They show more than a million pictures there. It is important to be popular, so you must be at the top, if it shall be meaningful to be seen there. I am a lucky one now and then.
With a computer it is easy to travel.
As with TV.
What new goals or projects are you looking forward to in the near future? Are there any upcoming exhibitions or new series of work that you are excited to share with your audience?
I am creative and active. There is always something going on in my Studio.
The dates for my next exhibitions are yet not set, but for the Art Basel in Miami with Perseus New York Gallery in December and Iana Safin, a cooperatin I am
Looking forward to.
I am ready for New York now.
My Seoul exhibition with PhD. Theo Kwack is neither far away.
This marketing program with Contemporary Art Collectors now has turned up during the months of June is the reason for me to work with this Noble Conversion.
There will be online shows on the Airline Vuelig to market artists rewarded with the Global Art Virtuoso: elite Artistic Achievement Award ( which I am). There will be online shows on the aircraft’s. A genial idea.
For the future I am going on painting colorful and big.