Fiumano Clase

Joakim Allgulander
Exile on East Street: Solitude and Escapism

Exile on East Street: Solitude and Escapism, a solo show by Swedish artist Joakim Allgulander, opened on the 4th November at Fiumano Clase. Due to current circumstances the gallery has had to temporarily close, hopefully re-opening on the 3rd December.  In the meantime please enjoy the online version of the exhibition. 

The exhibition includes works that were created shortly before, during and after the initial UK lockdown earlier in 2020, providing a unique insight into the way the global coronavirus pandemic has affected Allgulander, both as an artist and as an individual.

Allgulander’s multidisciplined practice embraces painting, sculpture, printmaking and installations. His constant practical enquiry and curiosity into the process of making came to an abrupt halt during lockdown. Like most of us, he was confined either to his studio or home and art supplies were almost impossible to come by so Allgulander used the materials he had on hand: oil paints and linen. Rather than being restrictive this situation was liberating, forcing him to experiment with an already familiar medium. Inquisitive by nature, Allgulander has always sought to push the limits of the possibilities a particular technique offers, the period of confinement presented the perfect opportunity to do just that.

An initial sense of confusion and bewilderment at the world in which he found himself soon made way for clear focus and determination.

“When the works for Solitude and Escapism came to life, I decided to use a fixed size for the paintings, 60 x 45 cm. I started to paint clouds and skies as a sort of therapeutic activity. I didn’t use pre-existing images or paint au plein air, I just painted from my head, using different methods for applying or removing paint from the canvas. Each piece was painted as an individual, but they are displayed as one large scale work, giving a sense of time and mood. I felt like I was in a strange but creative exile during this period”

Joakim Allgulander, October 2020


Please click the images below for further details.