USA WeActivist Pär Strömberg at Charles Bank Gallery

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Charles Bank Gallery is proud to present RETROspect, a pairing of staff selected contemporary artworks with examples of exquisitely painted nineteenth-century woodworking from the collection of Elliot and Grace Snyder. The six antiques from the Snyder collection were specifically chosen for their hand-painted surfaces that resemble abstract paintings from a more recent period in art history. As a result, the juxtaposition of these pieces with works from the Charles Bank Gallery program offers viewers a fresh perpective on both collections.


This special preview party is held in honor of Swedish artist and WeActivist Pär Strömberg, one of the selected artists prominently featured in RETROspect. Inspired by the landscape near Stromberg's hometown of Örebro, Sweden, his work focuses on themes of folklore, the mysticism of nature, and feelings of insignificance in relation to the grandeur of nature. The often large canvases invite you to a physical participation, while the smaller formats are more intimate and mixed up with the inner landscape of an external collective memory of the forces of nature. Although these dark landscapes evoke a post-apocalyptic mood, the atmosphere conveys a reassuring calmness. In his oil paintings, Strömberg employs a technique similar to that of watercolors in which he layers transparent colors and pieces of running structures.



Through his work, Strömberg has embedded a sense of escapism and yearning for unspoiled nature. As art critic Daniël Bertina explains, "the Swedish landscapes of Strömberg seem to be a homage to the old worlds and gods. Mystic and natural forces unfold in his work and contrast with our daily lives in which speed, technology and consumerism dominate." Strömberg states, "My work shows islands of thought - mindscapes - where you can find rest."



The Charles Bank Gallery and WeSC look forward to your presence at this special event.