Humor Takes Center Stage in Lena Cronqvist Retrospective in Karlstad

A year after the passing of artist Lena Cronqvist, Värmlands museum in her hometown of Karlstad presents a retrospective exhibition, "Lena Cronqvist." The exhibition, running until January 17, 2027, offers a fresh perspective on her oeuvre, emphasizing its humorous elements over its traditionally perceived anxiety-ridden themes.

In the bright, airy halls of the museum, overlooking the Klarälven river, Cronqvist's works appear more carefree than anguished. Pieces like "Linus" from 1970, depicting a grimacing child, and "Two Girls in Red" from 1999, showing girls seemingly content with containing their parents, contribute to this lighter atmosphere. The museum's setting itself seems to enhance this mood, making the underlying anxiety in her art feel more like a lurking presence than an overwhelming force.

The exhibition, which Cronqvist herself was involved in planning before her death, initially considered "play" as its central theme. Consequently, many pieces feature girls with various expressions – grimacing, concentrating, or giggling – across both paintings and numerous bronze sculptures. The retrospective chronologically traces her artistic journey from her debut in the mid-1960s to her later black-and-white acrylic and tempera works, created even as her eyesight deteriorated. The collection, comprising over 150 pieces, also includes etchings, aquatints, and weavings, alongside early oil paintings depicting travels, hospital stays, bourgeois ennui, and childhood demands.

Cronqvist's deep connection to Karlstad is evident, with works like "Dinner with Shrimp" and "Dinner with Strawberries" from 1974 resonating with the local landscape. The exhibition catalog reveals her meticulous process, noting that she would set aside canvases if unsatisfied, sometimes returning to them later. This iterative approach resulted in variations of themes and details across her series. While her works contain numerous art historical references, the exhibition encourages viewers to engage with them through association, allowing the art to reveal its multifaceted nature and the artist's ability to universalize the private.