“Oh yes – It is the man with the big Cadillac, Hell’s Angels, Doug’s Place, The Royal Family. His name is associated with different works like that, large and always astonishing – and they have always been carried out without compromise. What he has made up his mind to do he has also done; his will-power can be noticed in every detail.”
This is a quotation from a book by Ulf Linde “Introductions. Ulf Linde at the Thielska Gallery 1977-1997”.“John E Franzén painted the famous “Hell’s Angels”. This was done in America. It took him three years to paint it. He has depicted every little detail. “Motorcycle enthusiasts buy John E Franzén’s paintings. But when he paints motorcycles he does not think it is necessary to make every detail look like those of the model. He adds and takes away, making his own model. He is painting his own vision of the existing model.”
“Motor vehicles are rarely given a main part in artistic work. But for John E Franzén they are personalities. He scrutinizes every detail of his engines. Beneath the perfect surface a pulse is beating.”
“John E Franzén paints not only motorcycles and cars but also landscapes.”
“I do everything with the heart and the stomach, he says. I never do anything with irony or with a distance to the object. Everything is taken seriously. There is no intellectual overtone.”
The quotations above are translations of texts taken from “The Life of Artists in Österlen” written by Lisa Ovesen and sold at artist homes, galleries and tourist offices in Österlen in southern Sweden.
Biography
1942
Born in Stockholm, Sweden
1988-1995
Professor of painting, The Royal University College of Fine Arts, Stockholm
1989–
Member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Stockholm
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2023
Ljungbergsmuseet, Ljungby, Sweden
2022
Galleri Hattlösa, Förslöv, Sweden
2021
Gävle Konstcentrum, Sweden (pictures from the exhibition)
2017
Stene Projects, Stockholm, Sweden
2015
Wanås, Knislinge, Sweden
2013
Stene Projects, Stockholm, Sweden (presentation in Swedish)
2012
Stene Projects at Volta, Basel, Switzerland
2009
Tomarps kungsgård, Sweden
2008
Brandstrom Stockholm, Sweden (presentation in Swedish)
2004
Photography, Tomarps kungsgård, Sweden
Kabusa Art Hall, Sweden
1997
Academy of Fine arts, Stockholm, Sweden
1995
Thielska Galleriet Stockholm, Sweden
1985
The Castle of Gripsholm, Mariefred (Portrait of the Royal Family), Sweden
The National Swedish Museum of Fine Arts (Portrait of the Royal Family), Stockholm, Sweden
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012
Swedish Pop Art , Östergötlands Museum, Linköping, Sweden
2011
Stene Projects, Stockholm, Sweden
2009
Tomarps kungsgård, Resumé, Sweden
2007
The Artists´ Garden, Växjö Art Hall, Sweden
Friends of Art, Åke Andrén´s Collection, Jönköpings Läns Museum, Sweden
The Artists´ Garden, Landskrona Art Hall, Sweden Speed Art Design, Galleri Imma, Mariestad, Sweden
2006
Hishult Art Hall, Sweden
Virserum´s Art Hall, Sweden
2002
Fantasy and Reality, an exhibition of the art of graphics, Djakarta, Indonesia, arranged by Gallery Astley in collaboration with the Swedish embassy.
1988
Masterpieces from Gripsholm Castle, National Portrait Gallery Washington D.C, U.S.A
1984
An exhibition in China arranged by NUNSKU (The Committee for Contemporary Swedish Art Abroad).
Proof print, The National Swedish Museum of Fine Arts, Stockholm
1983
Drawing, S.A.K. Academy of Fine arts, Stockholm, Sweden
1982
Water-colour, Galerie Il Segni, Roma, Italy
1981
Musée dárt Moderne à Bruxelles, Belgium
1979
Musee Salvador Allende – Stockholm Museum of Modern Art, Sweden
1975
Neuer Realismus aus Schweden, at a number of museums in Germany.
1974
Ars 74 Helsinki, Finland
1971
Alternative Suédoise, Musée dárt Moderne, Paris, France
Alternative Suédoise, Louisiana, Denmark
Swedish Alternative, Gallery F-15 Moss, Norway
1970
Swedish Alternative, Stockholm Museum of Modern Art, Sweden
1968
Black and White, Drawing exhibition arranged by S.A.K. Academy of Fine Arts, Stockholm, Sweden
1966
Salon de la Jeune Peinture, Paris, France
Selected Public Collections
The portrait collection of Gripsholm castle, Sweden
Goteborgs konstmuseum, Sweden
Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden
The content of this biography is updated on behalf of the artist.