Rickard Eklund (*1987 Stockholm, Sweden)
Lives and works between Stockholm and Gothenburg.
Rickard Eklund often uses found objects and images, like: construction materials sourced from empty lots, 16mm films bought at thrift stores, plants from by the wayside, free-to-use 3D-scans, etc, and then transform and combine these with graphics, using both digital and analogue techniques such as laser-cutting, CNC-milling, screen-printing and spray-painting.
Many of his shows are like visual essays or short stories, with several interplaying works in various techniques around a specific theme, be it: energy source research at a spacelab; strange beauty at a forest fire or tracing the cultural significance of the parasitic ergot fungi - All the while maintaining a multitude of meanings, layering references, forms and materials in intuitive ways. A commonality to his processes are observing shifts in perception, in dreams; trips; experiences of a heightened sense of awareness and other alterations to the concept-creating faculties, and letting this way of seeing give rise to the ideas behind and seep into the expression of the art work he creates.
Rickard has studied at Valand Academy in Gothenburg and the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm. As part of his artistic practice, he also designs record covers and music videos, prints posters and t-shirts and is a board-member of the artist-run gallery BOX.
Ongoing:
Oct 1st - 10th "Vad är Nytt", Group Show with 101 artists at Götaverken, Anders Carlssons gata 30, Göteborg
Solo & Duo Shows:
2021 Post-Secular Reflections II, Digital duo-show with Jette Hye Jin Mortensen in collaboration with c4 projects, Copenhagen
2021 Fire Works (with Tomas Ferm), Upper Hand, Gothenburg
2020 Ceres_spacelab, 3:e Våningen, Gothenburg
2018 Here Comes the Water Works, Upper Hand, Gothenburg
2017 Never Again ◎ (with John Salquist), GIBCA Extended, Upper Hand, Gothenburg
2017 Lågvattenmärken, Rehab-shop gallery, Gothenburg
2015 Unknot Knowledge – Hollows & Solids, Gallery BOX, Gothenburg
2014 Why Would a Water Vein Need to Find a Place to Die?, Gallery Rotor 1, Gothenburg
2014 Everywhere Baboons!, Gallery Konstepidemin - Bergrummet, Gothenburg
2012 T2IMIT9O or: Gio’s Dream of an Art Show Transformed Into a White Flame, Gallery Rotor 2
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2021 Vad är Nytt, Götaverkens gamla lokaler, Gothenburg
2021 Immaterialities, WELD, Stockholm
2021 Ellis Eden: ett retrospektiv, KKV Bohuslän, Gerlesborg
2020 Decemberkalender, Galleri 54, Göteborg
2020 Ellis Eden: ett retrospektiv, Galleri Verkligheten, Umeå
2019 Currents//Strömmar, Upper Hand, Gothenburg
2019 Cross Worlds (GIBCA Extended), 3:e Våningen, Gothenburg
2018 Velvet Ropes, Crum Heaven, Stockholm
2018 Late Summer Art Show 5, Galleri Konstepidemin, Gothenburg
2016 CYNETART, Festspielhaus Hellerau, Dresden
2016 Forårsudstillningen, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen
2015 Reconstructing the Archive - Video Art at Valand 1985-2015, A-venue, Gothenburg
2014 Textile Sounds, Borås Textilmuseum, Borås
2014 HOPE: Tourist Center, Ställbergs Gruva, Ställberg
2014 Fast Forward, Göteborgs Konsthall, Gothenburg
2014 Zonen, Gothenburg International Film Festival, Pustervik, Gothenburg
2013 Lost In Space, Vita Havet - Konstfack, Stockholm
2013 DOPET, Ställbergs Gruva, Ställberg
2013 BOS: Seeking Space, Brooklyn, New York
2013 Valand Spring Exhibition, Gothenburg
2013 As if Silence(s), Tjolöholms Slott, Kungsbacka
2013 ESKAPISM, Göteborgs Konsthall, Gothenburg
2013 (In) The Belly of the Whale, GalleryRotor 1, Gothenburg
2012 Whose Salon, Gallery Rotor 1,Gothenburg
2012 Bachelorette Rose Ceremony, Kungsportsavenyn 31-35, Gothenburg
2012 PAINTING FOR REAL, Östergötlands Länsmuseum, Linköping
2012 Valand Fanzines and Artist books, Galleri Vända Sida, Linköping
2012 KUNG FU ART SCHOOL, Rotor 2,Gothenburg
2011 Valand Spring Exhibition, Valand School of Fine Arts, Gothenburg
2011 Superbia Luxuria, Wanda’s/Videolook, Gothenburg
2011 The Polyshow, Gallery Rotor 2, Gothenburg
2010 Do what you have to do with the leftovers, Gallery Rotor 2, Gothenburg
2010 Valand Spring Exhibition, Valand School of Fine Arts, Gothenburg
2009 Drawing so far, Teckningsmuseet, Laholm
Scenography & Installation:
2017 Ensemble Makadam - Durationer, Gothenburg Concert Hall
2016 Ensemble Makadam - Durationer, Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm
2016 Opening Party, Gothenburg Dance and Theater Festival
2015 Ensemble Makadam - Durationer, Khimaira, Stockholm
2015 Palmarum del 2, Palmhuset, Gothenburg
2014 1987 - Popaganda Festival, Göta Källare, Stockholm
2014 1987 - Gothenburg Film Studios, Way Out West Festival, Gothenburg
2013 Xenia Kriisin, Stora Teatern, Gothenburg
Grants:
2020 City of Gothenburg Arts Grant recipient
2018 One-year Working Grant from The Swedish Art Council
2016 The Swedish Art Council Assistant Stipend, assisting artist Haris Epaminonda in Berlin
2014 Project grant PRONTO from The City of Gothenburg
2014 Familjen Wikanders Foundation Stipend recipient
2013 Grafikens Hus - Ann-Margret Lindells Stipend recipient
2013 Nominated for the “Gothenburg Price”, in the Art category, by Nöjesguiden Magazine
2012 Artist Assistant at dOCUMENTA13 in Kassel, Germany, assisting artist Tarek Atoui
Education:
2020 - 2021 Royal Institute of Art, Post-graduate "Materialities - Coordinates: Translating Form", Stockholm
2018 – 2019 Royal Institute of Art, Post-graduate "Materialities - Transmission/Translation", Stockholm
2012 – 2014 Valand Academy, Master of Fine Arts, Gothenburg
2009 – 2012 Valand Academy, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Gothenburg
2007 – 2009 Gerlesborgsskolan, Stockholm
2006 – 2007 Nyckelviksskolan, Colour/Form & Crafts, Stockholm
Other:
Founder and artistic director of artist-run Upper Hand gallery
Since 2016 board member of the artist-run Galleri BOX, Kastellgatan 10, Gothenburg
2017-2019 Convener (on behalf of Gallery BOX) of the Iaspis-group, Gothenburg.
All photos, images and artwork on this website by Rickard Eklund, except where noted otherwise.
© Rickard Eklund 2021