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Danelle Bergstrom (1957)
Danelle Bergstrom is an Australian visual artist well known for both evocative landscapes and for portrait paintings. She has exhibited since the 1980-ies, and held numerous solo exhibitions since then.
Danelle Bergstrom held her first exhibition in Finland, at Önningeby museum on Åland, during the summer of 2019:
The exhibition VÅGA represents the journey Bergstrom found her self on while being drawn to the sea and the nature of Åland.
Danelle Bergstrom first came to the tiny island of Källskär, off the islands of Kökar, as an artist in residency. During her residency Bergstrom immersed herself into the ecosystem of this isolated island, she was alone to contemplate nature, life and time. She was surrounded by the heartbeat of the ocean, surging sea’s and solid ancient pink granite rock.
These strong experiences, coupled with making new friends on the main island, led her to take a huge leap of faith and move from Australia to Åland in 2018.
Bergstrom’s unity with nature is caught through her brush strokes where they are transformed into waves of the sea and into winds on the rocks. These land-sea boundary images become metaphors for human emotions, for memories and for life’s choices.
“Nature has the ability to transform and personify human emotions. The rock is red; the ocean is forever changing. Human nature is part of nature; daring to change, daring something new”.
Danelle Bergstrom has painted many public commissions, and her work is held in major private collections as well as in the National Portrait Gallery and National Library in Canberra, The Australian Club, Sydney District Court, Charles Darwin University, Adelaide Justice Department, University of Technology Sydney, Adelaide University, Northern Territory Justice Department, Westmead Children’s Hospital.
Bergstrom has won a numerous prestigious prizes including the Archibald Prize (2016, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 1998, 1995), Portia Geach Memorial Award (2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999, 1993), Paddington Art Prize (2007), Salon des Refusés (2011, 2005), and received the Archibald Packing Room Prize (2007, 1995), People’s Choice Award, Portia Geach Memorial Award (2013, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2005), People’s Choice Award, Salon des Refusés (2011, 2009).
Bergstrom is the recipient of residencies: Finland: Landskapsstyrelsen, Åland (2017), Sweden: Konstepidemin, Gothenburg, Sweden (2016, 2011), Australia: Northern Territory Supreme Court, Darwin (2008), Ireland; Cill Rialaig, (2007).
