Lena Johansson
Lena Johansson has been widely acclaimed for her small, intense oil paintings on panels with motifs derived from lifestyle media. Her lush, sensuous brush technique creates a glossy, desirable image that extends, and comments on, the shiny commercial—and fashionable—imagery much of her work is based on. Her interest in fashion photography and commercial imagery is based on her opinion that they are deeply essential, referring to our dreams and desires. For her, these kinds of images are deeply human and speak to our need for beauty, seduction and sexuality. When preparing for a painting she treats these lifestyle photos as any other object. She examines them through painting and filter them through herself and the painting process.
Lena Johansson is also using the very same materials inherent in the world where she draws inspiration for her practice: fashion and life-style photography. Instead of using the traditional canvas and stretchers, her paintings are also made directly on simple white T-shirts, jeans and scarves. In contrast to her works on panels, these works are quite imperfect and rough, showing traces of the painting process with drips, stains, spots and dirty fingerprints.
In her latest work, new references have been added: the criminal world's weakness and fixation on luxury brands as a status marker. She uses evidence photos in court proceedings on confiscated waist bags and purses from well-known luxury brands as models and paints them on different found materials, thereby complicating the image of the major luxury conglomerate brands and also the allure in the very same motifs that she is drawn to.
Lena Johansson (b. 1975) lives and works in Sweden. She has previously exhibited at institutions such as Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Vestfossen, Norway, Moderna Museet, Malmö, Sweden, Lunds Konsthall, Sweden and Ystads Konstmuseum, Sweden.
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Lena Johansson - Dreamland Welcomes You
Stockholm 27 May - 3 Jul 2021Andréhn-Schiptjenko is pleased to announce Lena Johansson’s third solo-exhibition at the gallery, Dreamland Welcomes You. Lena Johansson has been widely acclaimed for her small, intense oil paintings with motifs derived...Read more -
Lena Johansson - Transference
Stockholm 5 Mar - 18 Apr 2015Andréhn-Schiptjenko is pleased to present Lena Johansson’s second solo show at the gallery. Lena Johansson has been widely acclaimed for her small, intense oil paintings with motifs taken from lifestyle...Read more -
Lena Johansson - Taking the Long Way
Stockholm 19 Feb - 27 Mar 2011Andréhn-Schiptjenko proudly presents Lena Johansson’s first solo show in Stockholm. The opening takes place on Saturday, February 19th 5-8 p.m. The starting point for Lena Johansson’s paintings is photographs from...Read more
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Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021
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Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Dreamland Welcomes You'
Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden, 2021
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Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Painting, Desire and Other Stories'
Joyce Gallery, Paris, France, 2019 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Painting, Desire and Other Stories'
Joyce Gallery, Paris, France, 2019 -
Lena Johansson
Installation view 'Painting, Desire and Other Stories'
Joyce Gallery, Paris, France, 2019
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To die for I, 2021
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Boy with blue jacket, 2021
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Dreamland welcomes you III, 2021
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Ida, 2021
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Marianne, 2021
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The Highest Form of Hope II, 2020
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Niki, 2019
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The boy and the sea II, 2019
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Composition in found frame, 2018
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You and I, 2018
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The Girl, 2017
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The Room 2, 2017
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The Mystery of Transference, 2017
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Girl painting, 2017
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Leken, 2015
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Söndagsmorgon, 2015
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Interiör 1, 2015
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Interiör 3, 2015
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Interiör 2, 2015
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Utan titel, 2015
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Flicka med mask, 2014
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Man framför grönt draperi, 2014
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Andy, 2012
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Grinden, 2012
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Flickor (allra käraste Tova), 2012
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Lilly, 2011
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Duschen, 2011
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Sid, 2010
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Punk Princesses, 2007