“Women are not allowed to watch as much as men do, Griselda Pollock wrote. To see, stare, scrutinize, look, take possession of are central topics in the feminist art research. The discussion about the power of the eye is crucial and the question that is asked is who takes the right to look at whom?
In her work Cecilia Sikström focuses on posing and the look of the eye. With strong roots in the traditions of painting she is a sensitive user of colours and the history of art speaks through her work. There are numerous links to her predecessors. She picks an apple painted by Cranach, borrows a hand from Munch or a face from Picasso. It is a long, slow process always founded on existing work; a photograph or a painting which gives her a reason to continue her own work.
First and foremost she depicts the classical icons of femininity, but they are not portraits, but rather paraphrases which invite identification and projection. In the centre of her exploration of the characteristics of the female ego you find mythical women like Venus, Marie Antoinette, Marilyn Monroe, Edith Södergran and anonymous girls from French picture cards. Risqué and ambiguous they perform in the masquerade of femininity which walks on a tight rope across the chasm that separates the object from the subject. Cecilia Sikström exposes her women and shows them off in a bold way. The look of their eyes shifts from one point to another and with one eye closed and the other wide open they might be one of the sighted or one of those being seen. This becomes obvious in two of her latest works where Marlene Dietrich and Frida Kahlo are two identities put to the test. Marlene turns her eyes towards her persecutors and like the role person on the screen she is exposed to the spectators who freely can use her as a subject for their imagination. It is clear that Frida Kahlo poses for her audience but she returns our gaze and claims the right to regard her spectators herself. She both sees and is being seen and therefore she comes out on top in the struggle for the right to define oneself.”
TRANSLATION OF A PRESENTATION IN SWEDISH BY ANNA GUNNERT
Biography
1962
Born in Lycksele, Sweden
1985-1990
Studied at The Royal University College of Fine arts, Stockholm
Lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden
Selected Solo Exhibitions in Sweden
2019
“Bad boys girls”, Hedenius, Stockholm
Konstforum, Norrköping
2017
Galleri Agardh & Tornvall, Stockholm (presentation in Swedish)
2014
Hedenius, Stockholm
Cecilia Sikström & Henrik Halvarsson
2013
Hedenius, Stockholm (presentation in Swedish)
2012
Galleri D12, Uppsala
Galleri Skåda, Luleå
2011
Konstnärshuset, Stockholm
2010
Galleri Remi, Östersund
2009
Olle Nymans ateljé, Saltsjöbaden (presentation in Swedish)
Hallsbergs Konsthall
Litografiska akademien, Tidaholm
Galleri Sjöhästen, Nyköping
2007
Lycksele Art Club
Galleri Bäckalyckan, Jönköping
2006
Pumphuset, Borstahusen, Landskrona
2005
Gerlesborg´s Art Hall
Galleri Remi, Östersund
2004
Galleri Argo, Stockholm
2003
Galleri Argo, Stockholm
Augelimuséet, Sala
2002
Thielska galleriet, Stockholm
2000
Galleri Ahnlund, Umeå
1998
Galleri Argo, Stockholm
1997
“The Artist of the Year”, Stockholm Art Fair
1996
Galleri Ahnlund, Umeå
1994
Galleri Argo, Stockholm
1993
Galleri Kavaletten, Uppsala
1992
Galleri Ahnlund, Umeå
1989
Galleri Mejan, Stockholm
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016
Collected works! 30 years with the Maria Bonnier Dahlin´s foundation – Bonniers Konsthall
Celebration of the foundation’s 30th anniversary with a large group exhibition at Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
2013
Home Sweet Home, Liljevalchs konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
2010
Edsvik Konsthallar 5th anniversary, Sweden
2009
Galleri Argo, Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, Sweden
2008
Tomarps Kungsgård, Sweden
Participating artists: Filippa Arrias, Cecilia Elde, Eva-Maria Ern, Martina Muntzing, Cecilia Sikström och Nina von Schmalensee
Triennial in Graphic Arts, Kaliningrad, RussiaGalleri Argo, exhibition together with Filippa Arrias och Sissel Wibom, Stockholm, Sweden
Art Fair Sollentuna, Sweden
2005
Art Fair, Milano, Italy
2002
“My Marilyn” Liljevalch´s Art Hall, Stockholm
2001
“Northern Lights”, Center for the Arts, Vero Beach, Florida, USA
Sweden Art Project 2001, Lifestyle, Contemporary Art & Design, Kortrijk, Brussels VIII, Sweden
2000
“Kavaletten 30 years”, Galleri Kavaletten, Stockholm, Sweden
Galleri Argo, Stockholm, Sweden
1999
“X-et 100 Years”, Botkyrka konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
“Doktor Glas”, Galleri Doktor Glas, Stockholm, Sweden
1996
“Maria Bonnier Dahlin 10 years”, Stockholm Art Fair, Sweden
Selected Public Collections
Public Art Agency Sweden
Region Västerbotten
Umeå municipality
Sweden Television
Grants
2003
Augeli Grant
2002
Ottesköld´s Grant
10-year working grant, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
2000
2-year working grant, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
1998
Ester Lindahl´s travelling grant
1997
“Artist of the Year 1997”, Stockholm Art Fair
1995
Working grant, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
1994
Stay in Grez-sur-Loin, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
1993
Project Contribution, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
1992
Sven X-et Erixon´s Grant
1991
Carl Larsson´s Grant
1990
Maria Bonnier Dahlin´s Grant
1988
Anna Lisa Thomson´s Grant
Artist of the Quarter – Enjoy Scandinavian Art
- Cecilia Sikström – Artist of the Quarter spring 2017 (presentation in Swedish)
- Cecilia Sikström – Artist of the Quarter spring 2013 (presentation in Swedish)
- Cecilia Sikström – Artist of the Quarter summer 2009 (presentation in Swedish)
- Cecilia Sikström – Artist of the Qurter summer 2001
The Process of Making a Silk-Screen Print (Serigraph)
The content of this biography is updated on behalf of the artist.