Meta Isæus-Berlin, “Orpheus”
Umeå, 10.4–21.5 2010
Galleri Andersson/Sandström proudly presents the gallery’s first exhibitions with Meta Isæus-Berlin. Isæus-Berlin has worked as an installation artist and painter throughout a long and successful career. Starting on April 10, the exhibitions Orpheus and Reminiscences will be shown in the Galleri Andersson/Sandström’s both spaces, in Umeå and Stockholm.
Meta Isæus-Berlin had her break-through as one of Sweden’s most prominent installation artists in the middle of the nineties, representing Sweden in several international biennials. In 2006 the artist had a major mid-career show at Liljevalchs in Stockholm. In connection with the exhibition, Isæus-Berlin declared that painting would thereafter be her principal means of expression. Since, she has had several successful exhibitions in Sweden, Europe and USA.
Meta Isæus-Berlin’s paintings “take familiar stories and material from the history of art as their starting-point. Highlighting fragments she weaves a new web of meanings. The result is a world of images that is filled equally with fairy tales, myths, symbols, material, colors and abstractions”. Thus writes art critic Katarina Wadstein MacLeod in the catalogue that has been produced for the exhibitions.
Meta Isæus-Berlin herself describes the exhibitions in this way:
The Orpheus myth can be seen as a journey,
a description of travelling down to the underworld to meet with Eurydice,
as well as an inner journey, in which strong emotions drive Orpheus towards his next step.
Looking forward, looking backward, the inner room lacks a focal point.
The myth deals with passages, driven by a pain that is unendurable.
The handling of the crisis – the departure for Hades – can be seen as a wish to free oneself
from the conflicting longings for death and love.
In Reminiscences
I dig deeper, waiting patiently and persistently
for the image to slowly be drawn forth, for recognition.
When the hidden reveals itself an answer is given as to how to ask the next question.
Shadow images, underwater visions mingle with a life-embracing defiance.
Catalogue
A catalogue has been produced with works from the exhibition. The catalogue can be ordered from the gallery at a cost of 150 SEK plus postage.