An installation view of the exhibition titled Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner, New York, in 2020.
An installation view of the exhibition titled Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner, New York, in 2020.

Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise

David Zwirner is pleased to present recent works by Swedish painter Mamma Andersson (b. 1962), on view at the gallery’s 533 West 19th Street location. This will be the artist’s fourth exhibition with the gallery.
 

Characterized by a unique combination of textured brushstrokes, loose washes, stark graphic lines, and evocative colors, Mamma Andersson’s works embody a new genre of landscape painting that recalls late nineteenth-century romanticism while also embracing a contemporary interest in layered, psychological compositions.

 

Her often-panoramic scenes draw inspiration from a wide range of archival photographic source materials, filmic imagery, theater sets, and period interiors, as well as the sparse topography of northern Sweden, where she grew up: mountainous backdrops, trees, snow, and wooden cabins are recurrent elements within her works. Yet, rather than conveying specific spatial or temporal reference points, they revolve around the expression of atmospheres and subjective moods, and frequently appear to merge the past, the present, and the future. 

 

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Image: Installation view, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, David Zwirner, New York, 2020

Dates
March 4July 31, 2020
Opening Reception
Wednesday, March 4, 6–8 PM
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Lull, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Lull, 2019
Oil and acrylic on wood panel
49 1/8 x 39 inches (124.8 x 99.1 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled The Lost Paradise I, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

The Lost Paradise I, 2020
Oil and acrylic on linen
41 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (105.4 x 80.3 cm)

“The Nordic landscape will always be a part of me.
It's where I come from, with all that it entails, such as the long dark winters and the bright short summers in Northern Sweden.
But I don’t strive to formulate or repeat this in my work.
I am more interested in psychological states.
I am not afraid of melancholy.
This exhibition represents the situation we are currently living in on the planet.
I do not see myself as a political artist; I am not interested in sparking debate or asking questions.
However, I am both critical and analytical.
To me, art is about poetry.”

 
A detail from a painting by Mamma Andersson, titled Pond, dated 2019.
Mamma Andersson
Pond, 2019 (detail)
Oil and acrylic on canvas
57 1/8 x 37 1/2 inches (145.1 x 95.3 cm)
Mamma Andersson
Pond, 2019 (detail)
Oil and acrylic on canvas
57 1/8 x 37 1/2 inches (145.1 x 95.3 cm)
An oil and acrylic panting on canvas by Mamma Andersson, titled The Lost Paradise III, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

The Lost Paradise III, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
41 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (105.4 x 80.3 cm)
“The painting The Lost Paradise, of which I have made several versions, is a kind of self-portrait.
The sun has moved from the sky onto the back of the jacket.”
 
“Horses have always impressed me, I think they are one of the most beautiful animals we humans domesticate.
The relationship between a young girl and such a large animal is fascinating.
The longing to be carried by the animal and ride it.
Trying to understand the horse's physiognomy is a challenge.
But above all, these horse paintings are about a post-war period when we lived in innocence with the future ahead of us and not behind us.”
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled The Lost Paradise III, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

Youngster, 2018
Oil and acrylic on canvas
46 1/2 x 35 3/8 inches (118 x 90 cm)
A detail from a painting by Mamma Andersson, titled The last Waltz, dated 2020.
Mamma Andersson
Last Waltz, 2020 (detail)
Oil and acrylic on canvas
66 1/8 x 89 3/4 inches (168 x 228 cm)
Mamma Andersson
Last Waltz, 2020 (detail)
Oil and acrylic on canvas
66 1/8 x 89 3/4 inches (168 x 228 cm)
“In the beginning, Last Waltz was a painting with a man dancing on the table.
The original is a theatre scene, probably from the ’60s, from Poland or the Czech Republic.
I started this painting about two years ago; it has changed character several times.
I decided to paint over everything, but instead it evolved into something else.
Until a few weeks ago, I considered it lost—it was hidden behind everything else in the studio.
But then I suddenly realised that it had something special and could contribute to the other paintings.
I made some additional changes and removed certain things.
The day after a huge party is pretty symbolic.
This painting is therefore not about a particular event, but is rather a representation of our time and what we leave behind.”
A painting by Mamma Andersson, titled Wood Cut, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Wood Cut, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
90 x 66 1/8 inches (228.6 x 168 cm)
“This group of paintings is no more figurative than before.
Rather the opposite.
Previously, the paintings were more vibrant and narrative.
Today I am looking for simpler composition.
The color scale shifts a little bit all the time, because when you change materials a lot happens.
Most of my materials have been replaced.
The wood boards are now mostly cotton canvas which is primed with rabbit skin glue.
Instead of using oil paint from the tube I have been using oil bars.
For me this is a big change.”


All quotes by Mamma Andersson, in correspondence with the gallery.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
Installation view of the exhibition, Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise, at David Zwirner in New York, dated 2020.
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Old Hat, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Old Hat, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
78 3/4 x 55 1/8 inches (200 x 140 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Pond, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Pond, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
57 1/8 x 37 1/2 inches (145.1 x 95.3 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Lull, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Lull, 2019
Oil and acrylic on wood panel
49 1/8 x 39 inches (124.8 x 99.1 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Holiday, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

Holiday, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
78 3/4 x 55 1/8 inches (200 x 140 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled The Lost Paradise I, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

The Lost Paradise II, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
41 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (105.4 x 80.3 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled The Lost Paradise I, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

The Lost Paradise I, 2020
Oil and acrylic on linen
41 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (105.4 x 80.3 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Sister Without Sun, dated 2018.

Mamma Andersson

Sister Without Sun, 2018
Oil and acrylic on canvas
37 3/8 x 57 1/8 inches (95 x 145 cm)
An oil and acrylic panting on canvas by Mamma Andersson, titled The Lost Paradise III, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

The Lost Paradise III, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
41 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches (105.4 x 80.3 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson, titled Wood Cut, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Wood Cut, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
90 x 66 1/8 inches (228.6 x 168 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled The Lost Paradise III, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

Youngster, 2018
Oil and acrylic on canvas
46 1/2 x 35 3/8 inches (118 x 90 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Pull My Daisy, dated 2018.

Mamma Andersson

Pull My Daisy, 2018
Oil and acrylic on canvas
35 5/8 x 46 1/2 inches (90.5 x 118.1 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Silent Dawn, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Silent Dawn, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
37 3/8 x 57 1/8 inches (95 x 145 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Last Waltz, dated 2020.

Mamma Andersson

Last Waltz, 2020
Oil and acrylic on canvas
66 1/8 x 89 3/4 inches (168 x 228 cm)
A painting by Mamma Andersson titled Solo, dated 2019.

Mamma Andersson

Solo, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
31 1/2 x 41 3/8 inches (80 x 105 cm)

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