Ivan Aguéli. Painting and mysticism
Ivan Aguéli (1869–1917) and his paintings are part of the Swedish artistic avant garde. His landscapes and portraits are often small scale, yet the interplay of colors, light and nuances creates a sense of monumentality. Through the intimate paintings, Aguéli experimented with colour and form at the same time as he explored the spiritual dimensions of existence.
The interest in mysticism was at the turn of the 20th century often associated with radical movements like anarchism, feminism and animal rights. Ivan Aguéli combined these movements and was deeply invested in philosophy from the Islamic East. Aguéli appears as as a reflective and spiritual artist in the midst of an era of cultural meetings and is therefor of great relevance to our contemporary time. The exhibition is centered around the synergetic effect of Aguéli's painting, activism and studies in language and religion. Ernest Thiel never collected any artworks by Aguéli, yet both had a great interest in philosophy of life and in the spiritual side of existence. The exhibition wants to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of Ivan Aguéli during 2019.
The exhibition is done in collaboration with Viveca Lindenstrand as an external curator as well as with PhD of Religious studies Simon Sorgenfrei and PhD of Art History Annika Öhrner, both from Södertörn högskola.
Ivan Aguéli, Mosque I, 1914, oil on canvas attached to paper board, 21 x 30, Prins Eugenes Waldemarsudde. Photo: Per Myrehed
Ivan Aguéli, Gotlandic landscape, 1892, oil on panel, 53,5 x 34, Aguélimuseet. Photo: Prallan Allsten
Ivan Aguéli, Motif from Touraine France, 1913, oil on canvas, 36,5 x 45, Private collection. Photo: Per Myrehed
Ivan Aguéli, Motif from Visby I, 1892, oil on canvas, 50 x 90,5, Moderna Museet. Photo: Åsa Lundén
Ivan Aguéli, Portrait of a Girl, 1891, oil on paper board, 59 x 39, Moderna Museet. Photo: Prallan Allsten
Ivan Aguéli, Gable Walls, ca 1912, oil on canvas attached to paper board, 40 x 52, Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde. Photo: Per Myrehed
Ivan Aguéli, Portrait of Mme Huot, undated, pencil on paper, 31,6 x 23,9, Moderna Museet. Photo: Albin Dahlström
