www.sturejohannesson.com — © MacauArtNet 2004-5-31

“Sture Johannesson: Counterclockwise Circum-ambulation”  is on show at the Lund Konsthall, in Sweden, through August 22. The exhibition is Sture Johannesson’s first major solo exhibition, which implied a waiting of 36 years.
  There is close connection between Lund Konsthall and the story of a promising artist who fell out with the people in power, and who never got the chance to establish himself on the art scene. Instead Sture Johannesson had to find other ways to give vent to his creativity and new thinking.
  The exhibition should be regarded as a coherent installation that extends across the premises of Lund Konsthall and which contains both new and old works by Sture Johannesson.
  The starting point is a discussion that began in 1968 and which includes the artist’s poster for the exhibition “Underground” that was going to open at Lund Konsthall then.
  The motif of the poster was thought so provocative that it was banned. And not only that: as a consequence the exhibition did not even open, the then director chose to resign, Lund Konsthall had to stay closed for many months and Sture Johannesson disappeared from the art scene. “Counterclockwise Circumambulation” closes the circle and the events of that time are seen in today’s light.
  Now the poster that has come to be called “The Hashish Girl” is a real classic. Sture Johannesson is also obtaining redress as an artist, and is more in demand than ever, with both coming national and international commissions.
  There is a great interest in the art of the 1960s and early 70s, and both from established and young artists who represent social and political engagement in art.
  Sture Johannesson is an important precursor in this regard and an ardent proponent for making the art scene a place where freedom of speech is cherished and the complex subjects in the politicised reality of art are brought to the fore.
  The exhibition stretches over four decades and shows examples of a many-faceted, biting, uncompromising and visually sophisticated oeuvre.