Johan Bloom – Artist, Afropolitan and painter
With an upbringing in Southern Africa - Botswana and Mozambique - but also among the graniterocks and islets of the Swedish westcoast, the moderate scandinavian colours now have to collaborate with a more powerful African pallet. An artistic wandering to bring a dynamic balance between north and south, history and contemporary life, rockcarvings and digitalworld. Mainly self-taught, getting completely Africanized during the Mozambique years (1983-1990) with tutors like Naguib and Malangantana. Enriched by travels in sub-saharan Africa and Europe I constantly search for a contemporary and multicutural expression, mirroring the world we live in.
I work in series, expressing a certain idea. When not painting, I work with artprojects of various kind, Often schools and public areas. All to promote a free mind, multiculturalism and planet Earth.
Presently sharing my time between Grahamstown, South Africa and Tjörn, Sweden.
CV
Johan Bloom
Exhibitions
2017
2016
2015
| FNB Johannesburg Artfair ArtEc Port Elizabeth. S.A. ( Group) Paintings at Stephan Welz and co Auction in Johannesburg. Reflective Identeties. Galerie Noko. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Solo) Art Museum of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Group) Cape Town artfair(CTAF) FNB Johannesburg Artfair Ambassadors Footprint. Galerie Noko. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Group) Absolut art, Stellenbosch(group) Sa artgallery Houtbay,CapeTown. (Group) Galerie Noko. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Group) National Arts Festival, Grahamstown.S.A.( Group and performance)
Artbike - land Art. Tjörn Sweden. (Group) Galerie Noko. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Group) Galeri Noko. Port Elizabeth. S.A. (Group) |
2013 | Scandic Opalen Hotel, Göteborg. Sweden (solo) |
2012 - 13 | Gallery Rådhusgatan 7, Marstrand. Sweden |
2013 | Gallery Havshotellet. Sweden |
2011 - 14 | Open studios Easter, Skärhamn Sweden. (yearly solo exhibition) |
2011 - 14 | Gallery Koch, Sweden.Stenungsund Konstvandringen(group) |
2011 | Vitlycke Museum. Sweden (solo) |
2011 | Gallery FRI. Sweden (solo) |
2011 | Gallery Leva, Visby. Sweden Exhibition and trash-art workshop (solo) |
2011 | Gallery Överby, Stockholm. Sweden (solo) |
2010 | Artfair, Copenhagen.Denmark (solo) |
2010 | Gallery Hogia, Stenungsund. Sweden (solo) |
2009 | Stockholm Artfair, Kista. Sweden (solo) |
2009 | Gallery Backlund, Sweden Gothenburg (solo) |
2009 | Gallery Södra hamnen 31, Tjörn. Sweden (solo) |
2009 | Gallery FRI, Skärhamn. Sweden (solo, twice) |
2009 | Frisläppt, Konstrea Outdoor exhibition at Tjörns Trädgårdar. Sweden( group) |
2009 | Gallery Minimal, Särö. Sweden(Solo) |
2008 | Gallery Sundsby Säteri, Tjörn. Sweden(solo) |
2008 | Municipality gallery, Tjörn. Sweden(Group) |
2007 | Frisläppt; 3 ICA grocerystores, Tjörn Sweden. (group) |
2006 | Municipality building, Gothenburg. Sweden (solo) |
2006 | Borealis art association Gallery Stenungsund. Sweden (solo) |
2006 | Uddevalla Artmuseum/ Bohussalongen. Sweden(group) |
2005 - 06 | Säbylund konstgård. Tjörn. Sweden (solo) |
2005 | Gallery LL, Tjörn. Sweden(Group) |
2005 | Gallery Viktoria, Gothenburg. Sweden(Group) |
2004 - 05 | Gallery Cosmopolitan, Gothenburg. Sweden (solo) |
2005 2002 | Gallery Traktoren, Gothenburg. Sweden (solo) Espaco Artistico, Maputo, Mozambique(solo) |
2000 - 01 | Gallery Forum, Oskarshamn. Sweden (solo) |
2001 | Artmuseum, Oskarshamn. Sweden. (group) |
2001 | Gallery Fenix, Gothenburg. Sweden (group) |
1993 | Gallery Apart, Stockholm. Sweden (solo) |
1992 1989 1989 1989 | Artmuseum, Gothenburg Decembersalong. Sweden.(group) National Gallery, Gaborone.Botswana(group) Nucleo de arte, Maputo, Mozambique(solo) Standard bank Gallery,Harare. Zimbabwe.(solo)
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Projects and workshops
2014 - 15 | Artbike/frihjul ,Tjörn. LandArt along a cycle path. 10 artists from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Faroe islands. One of three project managers. |
2012 - 14 | Big draw festival, 3 annual public Workshops at the Nordic Watercolour museum |
2013 -14 | Teckna är stort, Nordic Watercolour museum. Drawing as method of learning. Three different schools. Pert time employment. |
2012 - 14 | Angeläget/Amnesty. Art on human rights. Workshops in secondary schools. |
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2011 | Kulturnatta, Culture night. Stenungsund och Kungsbacka, Sweden, solo show |
2012-15 | Skapande skola, Art in schools. Tjörns-, Uddevalla-, Gothenburg-, Kungsbacka municipalities. Sweden |
2012 -14 | Trash-Art Workshops. For schools, challenged children and teambuilding. Sweden |
2012 | UCT, Gymnasiet Tjörn. Art project in higher Sec. School..Sweden |
2012 | FIS, frisläppt i skolan. Trash art in Sec.schools. Sweden |
2011 | Integrate the Swedes! Workshop and exhibition.Gothenburg Municipality: Multicultural unit. Gothenburg municipality building. Sweden. |
2011 | Konst-taxin, Mobile Art Gallery. Stockholm, Gothenburg and Westcoast of Sweden. |
2011 | Frisläppt,Konst på oväntad plats, Tjörn. One of three project managers and parttaker. Art in supermarkets, parkinglots and public areas. Sweden |
2010 | Frisläppt. Youth project: Project manager. workshop and exhibition, gallery Fri and Kulturhuset Stenungsund. Sweden |
2009 | Kulturstorm Stenungsund. Sweden. Workshops. 50meter Artpiece with 350 secondary school children in Stenungsund shopping mall + 3mx150m art piece in Art centre foyer. |
2008 - 15 | Gallery/studio FRI. Skärhamn. Sweden. Owner and manager since 2008 |
Public Art
2015 2014 | Artbike/Frihjul. Collective Artwork on rock. 100m long along a cycle path and road. Skansvägen, Skärhamn, Tjörn: 100m2 wall painting, aluminium plate + 150m2 ”linedrawing” on tarmac. |
2014 | Skärhamn School. 15m2 wall Painting. |
2014 | Fridas Hage School, Tjörn. Canteen and outdoor theatre. 25m2 wall painting |
2013 | UCT gymnasium, Tjörn. Wallpainting 2x6meter |
2011 | Uddevalla Hospital. 10 paintings in the reception area |
Representation
| Tjörns Municipality |
| Oskarhamns Municipality, Konstnämnden |
| Nordic Watercolour Museum, friends association Numerous private collections in Eu, the US and Southernn Africa |
Grants and funding
2015 | Nordic culture foundation. Artbike (200000sek) |
2015 | VGR Project funding. Artbike (75000sek) |
2014 | Tjörn municipality:Artbike/frihjul (60000sek) |
2009-2014 | VGR Arrangörsstöd. Art in schools (50% subsidy) Project funding. Konst och mat. |
2009 | Projectfunding VGR, Frisläppt (60000sek) |
1998 | Wallenbergs stipendium (26000sek) |
Employment
2000 - 05 | Art teacher Stora Höga secondary school. Head of dep. |
2005 - 09 | Craft/woodwork teacher, Secondary school, Tjörn |
1999 -00 | Art and Craft/woodwork Lärjeschool Gothenburg. |
Education
1994-99 | BEd. University of Gothenburg. (Art and craft) |
1985 | Kv Artschool, 1 year pre university |
1984 | Socialanthropology 1 term, Gothenburg university |
2006 | Marine biology 1term, Gothenburg university |
1992 | Skippers diploma. Class 8 |
2015 | Mater of yachts, 200gt limited |
Miscellaneous
2011- 14. | Board member ”Open studios” . 25000 visitors to 45 artists every Easter. |
2013 - 14 | Project manager: Artbike/Frihjul. Landart and art installations along a 5.5km bicycle track. 11 artists from Denmark, Norway, Faroe island and Sweden participated. 11 concerts and plays. |
2014 | Live painting with piano. Grahamstown |
2013 | Live painting with jazz, Nordic Water colour museum |
2013 | Project manager: Konst och mat, Art and food. Collaboration between art,artists, hotels, resturants and tourism industry. |
2013 | Project manager: Konstkryss, “Artcruise”. Visit artstudios and galleries in the archipelago by boat.
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2012 - 13 | Frisläppt: “Art Elsewhere”. RenKust. Logo and 8.5meter trash-art sculpture for “ ren kust” , marine environment association
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| Member KRO , Swedish artist´s union
Professional Artist since 1988 |
Biography
Born 1964, Gothenburg Sweden
1977 – 80 Family moved to Gaborone, Botswana. Fell in love with the Kalahari and painted every bird I could see.
80-84 Highschool in Sweden
84-85 KV Art school, Gothenburg Sweden
84- 90 Moved to Maputo, Mozambique and later Botswana. Art studies with Naguib and Malangantana. Solo and groupshows in Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Design consultant for Baikagi weawing cooperative, Botswana.
90 Moved to Gothenburg, participated in groupshow at Gothenburg artmuseum.
92 Relocated to Gerlesborg artcentre north of Gothenburg. Training in traditional boatbuilding. Built two vikingships. Crossed the Northsea in traditional Norwegian pilotboat.
94-99 Teacher training at Gotheburg University. Woodwork, craft and English. Participated in several smaller groupshows.
2000 – 09. Moved to countryside on island of Tjörn. Worked as Art and craft teacher at Stora höga secondary school. Built a new studio. Solo shows in Maputo, Gothenburg, Oskarshamn and Stockholm. Participated in “Easter Open studios” regularly. Became member of KRO the Swedish artist´s union.
2009-2015 Relocated to small coastal village: Skärhamn. Renovated and converted an old school into studio and living space. Full-time artist for the first time. Exhibitions were mixed with artprojects and workshops, often with young people.
Started my own gallery.
Frisläppt – Art in unexpected places. Project to investigate art and space. My art was shown in three different grocerystores.
Art workshops with Amnesty and highschool students on human rights.
Worked at Nordic watercolor musem as artist in “The big draw”, a project investigating drawing as method of learning.
Started and ran a second gallery in Marstrand, north of Gothenburg, together with four artists.
Soloshows at artfairs in Stockholm and Copenhagen
Solo at Backlund gallery, Gothenburg
Marine trash art sculpture and paintings showed in Brussels, EU Headquarter. Charlemange building.
Easter open studios. Boardmember of the same association, running several projects connecting Art and Tourism industry.
Artbike/Frihjul – Cycling as inspiration to art. Project manager for 11 artists from Faroe islands, Norway, Denmark and Sweden decorating a 5km cycle track and Music, theatre and performances along the same route.
Artbike Wall piece.(2016) With Johan Bloom, Anna Berglund and Johan Eyssen
2015. Moved to Grahamstown, South Africa. Slowly introducing myself to a new, exciting and vibrant SouthAfrican art scene.
2015-16 CapeTown Artfair March 2016
National Arts Festival Grahamstown July 2016. Live painting performanc and group exhibition.
Three groupshows at Galerie Noko P.E.
Twice to Fnb Johannesburg Artfair.
Paintings quality auction house in Joohannesburg at Stephen welz and co
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