Birgitta Sundström Jansdotter (1966, Sweden)

Through a variety of emotions and expressions, lines and patterns of the backgound, the portraits of Birgitta Sundstrom Jansdot-ter appear as central to any composition. The figures seem isolated and removed from their original context, as characters set to play their predefined roles recreating scenes of a predefined theatre. Making an obvious allusion to the movement of Pop-art, these portraits are taken away from images of the modern culture. Set at each time in different situations, the women looking down from the paintings make a distant referece to the modern way of publicity and advertisement through the use of the female icon, – idealized and beautified. Thereby, the familiar images of popular culture are being translated into the language of painting.But unlike pop art, mainly associated with the artists’ use of mechanical means of reproduction or rendering techniques, her images are carefully painted and the motifs of repetition are at each time given some new and exclusive traits. The intriguing and imperfect repetitions are either mirroring each other, either slightly differ from their original. While color adapts certain physical-ity allowing the figures to merge into the background and the background to contrast the figures. Through the means of this paint-erly reduction, Birgitta Sundstrom Jansdotter takes out the depth and profoundness of paint.However, through the hard-edged compositions, the collage of layers of paint, minimal pattern, and simplified shapes, the eyes gain the most prominent value. Cen-tralized in the painting, they contrast the flatness of composition and seem to be mirroring the spectator.Often finding recourse in irony, she approaches subjects of popular culture and the sometimes banal and mundane elements of life. Missing her native coun-try, she incorporate parts of the swedish landscape rendered by imagination and her memories.Jansdotter began her career in Sweden and lives since 2001 in the Netherlands . She has exhibited in galleries and art fairs in South Korea, China, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. In 2007 she recived the Dutch Jacob Hartog ArtAward in The Hague.

Birgitta Sundström Jansdotter, 1966, Gävle, Sweden

paints monumental, and with a cheeky wink to the 'normal' rules in painting. Her works are a fusion between material and subject where the figures simulta-neously contrast with, and blend into the background.The female figure and its strength and weakness is a recurring element. In her paintings Birgitta expresses the ongoing roleplay between people Jansdotter began her career in Sweden and lives since 2001 in the Netherlands . She has exhibited in galleries and art fairs in South Korea, China, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. In 2007 she recived the Dutch Jacob Hartog Art Award in The Hague.