Markus Åkesson, born in Nybro, Sweden, in 1975, is well-known for his neo-figurative paintings exploring the realms of nature, mythology, beauty, and decay. His fascination with pattern, drapery, light, and shadow, can be traced back to his early works – still lifes, portraits, and scenes from everyday life, often including ornate rugs and wallpapers, tapestries, figurines, and decorative objects from around the world, as well as taxidermy, skulls, and bones. However, it wasn't until some years ago that he began working on his now-familiar motifs – a series called "Now You See Me". Inspired by the myth of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection, these recent works depict veiled figures posing against a background of the same, intricately adorned textile, as if being consumed by their own beauty.
An important part of Åkesson's process is creating the surface patterns on the textiles enveloping his models. Visually, they may evoke the designs of the Arts and Crafts movement, art nouveau, or Toile de Jouy. Yet, upon closer inspection, these ornate patterns reveal art historical motifs that at times veer into the uncanny, interspersed between brindle floral motifs. His work is thus fundamentally rooted in the history of art and ideas, both in terms of subject matter, composition, and style.
Markus Åkesson had an early break-through at the French art scene, presenting his first solo exhibition at the Parisian Galerie Da-End in 2013. His work has been exhibited widely around Europe, including exhibition venues such as La Manufacture – Museum of Textile Creation and History, Roubaix (FR), Château du Rivau, Lémeré (FR), Institut Suédois, Paris (FR), Musée Cognacq-Jay, Paris (FR), Saatchi Gallery, London (UK), VIDA Museum, Borgholm, Öland (SE), Fondation Francès, Senlis (FR), Kalmar Art Museum, Kalmar (SE), Solliden Royal Palace, Borgholm, Öland (SE), Berg Gallery, Stockholm (SE), Museum of Applied Art and Design, Vilnius (LT), and The European Council Building Justus Lipsius, Brussels (BE).
He is represented in the collections of Fondation Francès (FR), The Public Art Agency Sweden (SE), VIDA Museum (SE), Château du Rivau (FR), Alice Walton Family Collection (US), and Jacques-Antoine Granjon Collection (FR), as well as in numerous public and private collections in Europe and the United States.
CV
Born 1975, Nybro, Sweden
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS SINCE 2015
2024
"Land Of The Lotus-Eaters", Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2023
"Weaver's Grove, The Oracle Bones", Berg Gallery, Stockholm, SE
"Open Air Exhibition" at Solliden Royal Palace, Öland, SE
2022
"The Roses Of Heliogabalus", Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
"The trailing moss and mystic glow", duo exhibition with Ellen Ehk, Kosta Art Gallery, Kosta, SE
2021
"Skogens Hjärta" duo exhibition with Ellen Ehk, VIDA Museum, Öland, SE
"Now you see me", Berg Gallery, Stockholm, SE
2020
"Strange Days" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2018
"Insomnia" VIDA Museum, Borgholm, Öland, SE
"Sleeping Beauty" Kalmar Konstmuseum, Kalmar, SE
"Let me sleep through the night" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2016
"The milk of human kindness" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR (Two person exhibition, Markus Åkesson & Lucy Glendinning)
2015
VIDA Museum, Borgholm, Öland, SE
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS SINCE 2015
Art Brussels, BE, with Berg Gallery
Cabinet Xlll, Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2023
"Serendipity", curated by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Haven Gallery, LI, NY, US
"Satoshi Saïkusa - À perte de vue", a tribute to Satoshi Saïkusa, Galerie Da End, Paris, FR
"KostaBoda Open Air Jubilee Exhibition In Glass", Solliden Royal Palace, Öland, SE
"Faces Cachées", La Manufacture, MUSEUM OF TEXTILE CREATION AND HISTORY, Roubaix, FR
The Council Buildings Justus Lipsius, European Council, exhibition with Ellen Ekh Åkesson, Brussels BE
Exuberance, Jonathan F. Kugel - Cabinet de Curiosités Contemporain, Brussels, BE
"Cabinet XII", Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2022
Print & Paint, Kasteel d'Ursel, BE
Market Art Fair, Liljevalchs Konsthall, with Berg Gallery, SE
Le Jardin, miroir du Monde, Château du Rivau, Lémeré, FR
"Asile in Wonderland",Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
"Swedish Design Movement" with Kosta Boda, Centre Culturel Suédois, Paris, FR
2021
Berg Gallery, Stockholm, SE
2020
"Cabinet X", Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2019
"Cabinet Da-End 09" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
Solliden Royal Palace, Öland, SE, sculpture exhibition, curated by Galleri Kamras
Galeristes, Carreau du Temple, Paris, FR
2018
Loup Y Es/Tu?, with: Markus Åkesson, Lucy Glendinning & Sarah Jérôme ,Maisons-Laffitte, FR
La Fabrique Du Regard, Frances Fondation, Senlis, FR
"Cabinet Da-End 08" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2017
Group exhibition, "Less is more," KIRK Gallery, Aalborg, DK
Group exhibition, Krapperups Konsthall, Höganäs, SE(with: Ellen Ehk Åkesson and Mats Pehrson)
Cabinet Da-End 07, Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
2016
16th International Vilnius Painting Triennial, Vilnius, LT
Galeristes, Carreau du Temple, Paris, FR
(with: Lucy Glendinning, Sarah Jérôme, Mike MacKeldey, Nieto, Toshio Saeki, Satoshi Saïkusa, Carolein Smit & Mitsuru Tateishi)
"Vinterutställning" (Winter exhibition) VIDA Museum, Borgholm, Öland, SE
START// Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
YIA Art Fair, Brussels, BE
"Cabinet Da-End 06" Galerie Da-End, Paris, FR
"ABOVE THE LINE /BELOW THE LINE" Fondation Francès / Oko Agency, Clichy-La-Garonne, FR
(with: Mircea Cantor, Kader Attia, Seon-Ghi Bahk, Christian Boltanski, Pascal Convert, Berlinde de Bruyckere, Loris Gréaud, Mona Hatoum, Peter Klasen, Hans Op de Beeck, Mathieu Pernot, Nicola Samori, I Santissimi et Andres Serrano)
"Monster" Galleri Svalan, Borgholm, Öland, SE
"Under Realism" Galerie Da-End, Paris
(with: Gaël Davrinche, Kosta Kulundzic, Mike MacKeldey, Simon Pasieka, Stéphane Pencréac'h, Nazanin Pouyandeh,Till Rabus, Léopold Rabus, Raphaëlle Ricol, Vuk Vidor & Davor Vrankić)
YIA Art Fair, Paris // Galerie Da-End
2015
"Dedications and Declarations" Musee Cognacq-Jay, Paris, FR
(curator: David Rosenberg & Marie Gayet // with César Bardoux, Céline Cléron, Ellen DeElaine, Lucy Glendinning, Sarah Jérôme, Lidia Kostanek, Mike MacKeldey, Taisuke Mohri, Marc Molk, Célia Nkala, Franck Perrin, Sabine Pigalle, Axelle Remeaud, Satoshi Saikusa, Jun Takahashi, Lise Terdjman, Edward Vignot)
Galerie Da-End "Cabinet Da-End 05"
PUBLIC ARTWORK COMMISSIONS
2019
"When the leaves come falling down", bronze sculpture, Burial Chapel, Swedish Church, Nybro Parish, SE
2017
Three paintings in the entrance of Högstadium, Ängelholm, SE
2016
Official portrait of Chairman of the Municipal Board, Benny Johansson, Växjö Municipality, SE
2015
Ink overlays, staircase, Nybro Bostadsbolag AB, Nybro, SE
Official Portrait of The Bishop in Växjö Diocese, Jan Olof Johansson, a commission of the Växjö Diocese, SE
2014
Portrait of Olympic Medalist Sara Algotsson Ostholt, a commission of Nybro Municipality, SE
2013
Two paintings, Retirement home, Ljungby, SE
Painting, "Minne", Retirement home, Kalmar, SE
2010
Glass mosaic, "On the run", Förskolan Smedjan, Kalmar, SE
2009
Glass engraving, "When the year was longer...," Färjestaden School, SE
Glass sculptures "Sub Surface", Hanemåla BRF, Nybro, SE
Glass engraving, "Four Themes", Ljungbyholms Skola, Kalmar, SE
2008
Painting, "Looking for nature", Kommunhuset, Nybro, SE
2005
Sculpture group "Fabel", Kristvallabrunns Skola, Nybro, SE
REPRESENTATION
- Chateau De Rivau, Lemere, FR
- Smålands Museum, Växjö, Sweden
- The Swedish Public Art Agency (Statens Konstråd)
- VIDA Museum, Borgholm, Öland, Sweden
- Frances Fondation, France
- Counties and municipalities in Sweden
- Jacques-Antoine Granjon Collection, FR
- Alice Walton Family Collection, US
ART PRICES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
- The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, two-year working grant, 2017-2019
- Barometern, Gota Media - Golden Feather, 2014
- The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, one-year working grant, 2014
- Sydostens scholarship, 2009
- Regional Council in Kalmar, working grant, 2009
- Nybro Kommun's Culture grant, 2008
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Markus Åkesson - Paintings 2020-2024, Text: Joanna Sandell
- Markus Åkesson - Insomnia, 2018, Text: Joanna Sandell
- Markus Åkesson - Paintings, 2015, Text: Fanny Ginies
- Markus Åkesson - In Between, 2011, Text: Sophie Allgårdh
- Markus Åkesson - Paintings and objects, 2010, Text: Milou Allerholm