Gothenburg Colourism (I) (Room 24)

In the 1920s, a group of young artists studied at the Valand Academy under Tor Bjurström, who had himself been a student of Matisse. Bjurström emphasized colour as a primary means of expression. Several of his students became celebrated in the 1930s and were later known collectively—though informally—as the Gothenburg colourists. Their artistic ideals included: colour as the driving force of expression, shimmering light, close study of nature, and an open-ended working method. They also toned down the importance of academic training and artistic theory. In both adapting and resisting aspects of modernism, they carved out a unique position in Swedish art. This room presents works by Nils Nilsson, Inge Schiöler, Magda Ringius, Ragnar Sandberg, Karin Parrow, Åke Göransson and others. Gothenburg colourism has deeply influenced later generations of artists in the city, including Maj Arnell, Olle Skagerfors and Bengt Rindner, all of whom use colour as their primary expressive tool.