“The famous painting “Las Meninas” by Diego Vélasquez became the point of departure for a series of paintings, drawings and photographs wherein I discovered my own fascination for the act of seeing.
Ever since this is central in my work, as is the relationship between the Self and the Other.
The common part of the identity has been of interest to me and I have often used the idea of the human being as a bearer of roles. I have often played with the picture of twins as well as the reflected image.
The artistic achievements of Giotto are of central importance to me. The earlier non-spatial surface is folded out and creates a space around the human being initiating the process towards individualisation.
Visually the human beings are still identical, but their different modes of action indicates who they are.- Is it really Judas Iscariot ( in Giotto´s painting) kissing Christ? In Giotto´s image of the drama the recognition is obvious. It might as well be Jesus kissing himself, with Judas as a startled observer.
I remain free in relation to art-history and consider it as being mankind´s story about itself. You can question the story, make it continue, play with it and so on.
My actual project concerns the Veronica-motif in which different paintings represent different questions concerning the perception. Is the picture more real than reality itself? Vera icon.
I also paint interiors of rooms – places where “it happened”. This summer I was in Latvia and used empty apartments left behind by the Soviets in the beginning of the nineties. These rooms are naked and at the same time reveal a powerful history.
I want to show the difference; between circumstances closely related; approaching the turningpoint; When does the criminal become free from guilt? When does the painting get independent? When does the good intention turn into an empty gesture?
I am interested in the relationship between presence and absence /attitude-attitudelessness.
The self is separated but everything between us is shared.
I use images existing in my near surroundings; art-history, mass-media, everdaylife, my earlier paintings, depending on the project.
Mass-media seems to have taken over from art and religion the role of reflecting mankind.
The consequences can only be imagined. This fact strengthens rather than undermines our need of genuine expressions.
There is a joy in existing. There is a form of knowledge that is sensual, that is hard to explain or defend.”
Filippa Arrias
Biography
Born in Gothenburg, lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.
2008-2018
Senior Lecturer in free art with specialization in Painting at the The Royal University College of Fine Arts, Stockholm, Sweden
Education
1990-1991
Nordic Art School, Kokkola, Finland
1998
The Royal University College of Fine Arts, Stockholm, Sweden
2003-2004
Konsthögskolepedagogik 7,5 poäng
2008
Light and perception, Konstfack, Stockholm, 7,5 poäng
2019
Konflikt och Ansvar i skrivande, Konstfack, 7,5 poäng
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2023-2024
Fridhemsplans underground station, Stockholm, Sweden
2023
Werkhalle Wiesenburg exhibition together with Åsa Larsson Ljung, Berlin, Germany
2021
The sky is blue and the sun is a clock, exhibition together with Pauliina Turakka Purhonen, Borgå Konsthall, Finland
2020
The sky is blue and the sun is a clock, exhibition together with Pauliina Turakka Purhonen, Uppsala Konstmuseum, Sweden
2017
Hanaholmens Kulturcentrum Filippa Arrias vs Pauliina Turrakka, Esbo Finland
2011
Elvis has left the building:2, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Simris, Sweden
2007
Elvis has left the building:1, Kabusa konsthall, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Köpingebro, Sweden
2006
dazwischen, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
2005
Ytgränser, Konsthallen Hishult, Sweden
2005
Redroom, Galleri Argo, Stockholm, Sweden
2004
Karostaprojektet, Galleri 1, Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden
2003
Karostaprojektet, Millesgården, Lidingö, Stockholm, Sweden (presentation in Swedish)
Filippa Arrias, Galleri Marianne Ahnlund, Umeå, Sweden
Falköpings Museum, Sweden
Stockholm Art Fair for Konsthallen Hishult, Sweden
2002
Filippa Arrias, Jönköpings Läns Museum, Sweden
2001
Veronica and her photo, Galleri Argo, Stockholm, Sweden
1999
Nordens Ljus, Filippa Arrias, Sweden
1998
Ansikte mot ansikte, Konsthallen Hishult, Sweden
Through the Looking-Glass, Galleri Mejan Stockholm, Sweden
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021
FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE, henProjects, Stockholm, Sweden
The Sea, Kalmar konstmuseum, Kalmar, Sweden
2018
Slutet, Galleri 1, Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden
2017
Polyfoni 4 – Final, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Simris, Sweden
2016
Painting Failures, Moderna Museet, Malmö, Sweden
Jubileumsutställning, Anna-Lisa Thomssonstipendiater, Uppsala Konstmuseum, Sweden
2015
Impressionism som Aktivism Husby Konsthall/ Sunday Creative Time Summit, Public Art Agency Sweden
Imago Mundi, Venice, Italy
Polyfoni Galleri Wallner, Simris, Sweden
2011-14
Umheimliche Verbindungen, together with the choreographer Marie Fahlin
Performance: Unheimliche Verbindungen, Kkh (The Royal Institute of Art), Stockholm, Sweden
2013
Polyfoni, Galleri Wallner, Simris, Sweden
Performance: Unheimliche Verfälschungen / Weld, Stockholm (Vimeo), Sweden
2012
Polyfoni Galleri Wallner, Simris, Sweden
Strong Images Vague Ideas, Génève, Switzerland (curated by Donatella Bernardi)
Filippa Arrias, Åsa Larsson, Anna Finney, Sigrid Sandström, Susanne Johansson, Galleri Wallner, Simris, Sweden
2008
Performance: Ohemlik, with the choreographer Marie Fahlin, Murberget Härnösand, Sweden
Tomarps Kungsgård, Tomarp, Sweden
Älvsjö Art Fair, Galleri Argo, Sweden
Måleriska språk, Galleri Argo, Stockholm, Sweden
Uppbrottets Hembygd, Murberget Härnösand, Sweden
Nomad by heart, Umeå Bildmuseum, Sweden
2005
Filippa Arrias, Anna Finney, Kristina Jansson, Åsa Larsson, Maja Rohwetter, Kabusa Konsthall, Galleri Thomas Wallner, Köpingebro, Sweden
2006
The Love Project, Summer of Love, Virserums Konsthall, Sweden
2005
Open Studios, Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
2004
Harold Pieris Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Filippa Arrias, Jesper Nordahl, Jacob Dahlgren
Kabusa Invited, Kabusa Konsthall, Filippa Arrias, Cecilia Edefalk, Ernst Billgren, Sirous Namazi, Stig Sjölund, Leonard Forslund
2002
Art-Camp 2004, Zanabazaar Museum of Art, Ulan Baatar, Mongoliet / Filippa Arrias, Cecilia Edefalk, Eli Hector// Jesper Nordahl, Virpi Pahkinen, Etta Säfve…
Unga damer, äldre herrar (Young Ladies, Older Gentlemen), Filippa Arrias vs Ola Billgren, and others, Uppsala Konstmuseum, Sweden
Public Art Commissions
2018-2019
Måleri och färgsättning av NYPS, Kalmar Nya Psykiatri, samtliga vårdrum och offentlig miljö (Region Kalmar)
2017-2019
Måleri och färgsättning, foliering av glaspartier i Administrativ del av Uppsala Bussdepå/ Uppsala ( Landstinget)
2012-2015
Färgsättning som integrerat helhetskonstverk Skandionkliniken, Uppsala (Akademiska Hus) – färgsättning och utsmyckning av behandlingsklinik, garage och trapphus ca 10 000 m2
2014-15
Idrottsmosaik Måleriinstallation bestående av 40 sammanfogade målningar, Örebro Idrottshus
2011
Porträttbeställning till Bonnierska Porträttsamlingen, Nedre Manilla; Håkan Nesser
Publications
FUKT- Magazine for contemporary drawing NY, Berlin, Oslo
“Svenska konstnärer” av Ewa Rudling (Swedish artists by Ewa Rudling)
FILIPPA ARRIAS, Catalog Millesgården 2003, Sweden
Artist of the Quarter – Enjoy Scandinavian Art
- Filippa Arrias – Artist of the Quarter, June – August 2012, Forum – contemporary place for culture, Stockholm, Sweden (presentation in Swedish)
- Filippa Arrias – Artist of the Quarter – March – May 2001 (presentation in Swedish)
The content of this biography is updated on behalf of the artist.