Gösta Adrian-Nilsson

description

A Swedish artist and writer, one of the first modernists in his country. Gösta Adrian-Nilsson, who signed his paintings with the acronym GAN, was a comprehensively gifted person. He painted in various avant-garde styles, was an active member of the German progressive group Der Sturm (Storm, Berlin), created talented illustrations for the works of his contemporaries, and also wrote his own poems and fairy tales for children. A great admirer of Oscar Wilde in his youth, Adrian-Nilsson adored the decadent movement of the late 19th century, but at the beginning of the next century joined German Expressionists, Italian Futurists, and later French Cubists, making a considerable contribution to the spread of these art movements in his homeland.

Key ideas:

– Adrian-Nilsson’s work is diverse and even eclectic in the most positive sense of the word. He created a mixt from several contemporary art styles and became the author of one of the most unique and vivid styles in the visual arts of the early twentieth century.

– The artist’s painting is permeated with the energy of the newest technologies, the thirst for movement and strong eroticism. His style cannot be called entirely abstract. In his paintings, GAN always depicted specific objects and people, stylizing their forms and breaking large planes into separate elements. Male images (sailors, soldiers, people of hard-working professions), which the author used continuously in his works, are interspersed with urban landscapes and images of various mechanisms in action. They symbolize and visualize technological progress and the speed of modern life.

– Adrian-Nilsson’s canvases are distinguished by deep, saturated colors, which are more characteristic of Expressionism in their tonality than tactical Cubism or thoughtful Abstractionism. Most of them are a kaleidoscope of intersecting picturesque planes and shimmering color effects.
– The artist used simplified geometric constructions; their paintings have a perspective and airspace surrounding the main characters in the foreground. This feature is visible in such works as “Acrobats”, “Artist” and many others.

– In the second half of his creative career, the art of Hadrian-Nilsson became more abstract, approaching Synthetic Cubism and Surrealism. Paintings of the artist’s French colleagues influenced his style. His paintings became similar to collages, combining various objects of everyday life that were completely unrelated to each other, as well as stencilled inscriptions and signs.

– The late works of the author, made in the constructivist and surrealistic style, are proof of the constant active interaction of Gosta Adrian-Nilsson with the changing trends of European progressive art and are of great importance for the further development of Scandinavian abstract painting.

+ Read more

1884

1905

1907

1913

1914

1917 - 1919

1920

1921

1925

1931

1940 - 1950

1964

1965

The birth of the artist

Gösta Adrian-Nilsson was born on April 2 into a middle-income family in Lund. Studying at elementary school, demonstrated a bright artistic talent.

Started to study at the Technical School in Copenhagen

Started to study at the Technical School in Copenhagen.

Gösta Adrian-Nilsson made his public debut as a writer and artist

Gösta Adrian-Nilsson made his public debut as a writer and artist when he published his collection of poems “Songs of Love and Death” and presented a collection of paintings and drawings at the Museum of Lund University. He signed his literary works and paintings with the acronym GAN, which he used for the rest of his life.

Made a trip to Berlin

Made a trip to Berlin. There he met H. Walden, who became his patron. Thanks to Walden, he took part in several exhibitions at the Storm Gallery, where paintings by avant-garde German artists were exhibited. During his stay in Berlin, he met W. Kandinsky, F. Mark and other artists who had a strong influence on the personal style of Adrian-Nilsson.

He returned to Lund

With the beginning of the First World War, he returned to Lund. In his motherland, the artist became an active promoter of avant-garde art but did not get support from the general public. The following year, he participated in the exhibition “Swedish Expressionists” in Berlin, where his style was recognized as the most individual and vibrant among his compatriots. In the same year, there was a personal exhibition of Adrian-Nilsson in Lund; a year later, the artist presented his works in Stockholm.

He began to cooperate with the avant-garde magazine "Storm" in Berlin

He began to cooperate with the avant-garde magazine “Storm” in Berlin. Published a manifesto on contemporary art in the magazine, and also developed several illustrations and covers for it. In Stockholm, one more personal exhibition of the artist dedicated to the marine theme was held.

Moved to Paris

Moved to Paris, where he lived until 1925. In France, the artist met Fernand Leger and Alexander Archipenko, as well as his compatriot, composer Gösta Nyström.

The artist participated in the Salon of Independents

The artist participated in the Salon of Independents, and a year later – in the Storm Gallery in Berlin. During this period, GAN began working as a stage decorator and created costumes for the ballet productions of his friend Nyström.

Together with the jeweller W. Nilsson, he showed the exhibition “Folkvizor”

He returned to Lund, where, together with the jeweller W. Nilsson, he showed the exhibition “Folkvizor”. In his hometown, the artist painted the frescoes in the party hall of Huntversföreningen and organized a solo exhibition in Malmo. In the Swedish Royal Opera, the premiere of two ballets, “Clerantess” and “Edelling”, was held; the set designer and author of the costumes was Gösta Adrian-Nilsson. Four tapestries by the artist’s sketches were placed in the Lund Culture Center.

Adrian-Nilsson moved to Stockholm

Adrian-Nilsson moved to Stockholm. Here the artist was interested in Surrealism, and began to work in this style, including elements of Cubism in it. In addition to oil paintings, watercolors with folk motifs and sketches of tapestries appeared in his collection. In 1935, Adrian-Nilsson participated in a Surrealist exhibition in Copenhagen.

He continued to develop surrealistic trends

He continued to develop surrealistic trends, collaborated with several periodicals, where he published art criticism articles. Besides, GAN was engaged in literary activities, released a collection of fairy tales of children, which he illustrated independently. In 1949, a monograph of Neil Lindgren about the artist was published. In the 1950s, Adrian-Nilsson participated in several art exhibitions, including the Denise René Gallery in Paris. In 1958, a large retrospective exhibition of Adrian-Nilsson was held at the Liljevalchs Art Gallery in Stockholm.