AGNES HJALMARSSON

Agnes Hjalmarsson (Helsingborg, 2002) is a Swedish oil painter known for her autobiographical exploration of identity, culture and relationships. After graduating from Östra Grevie Folkhögskola’s fine art programme she has embraced the challenges and freedoms of being a full-time, self-employed artist, dedicating herself to her artwork and sharing her journey through social media. Working independently from her small kitchen has given her the flexibility to take on diverse projects, including commissioned works and exhibitions, while also allowing her to engage with her audience directly through youtube and instagram. Her work frequently honors and reinterprets cultural narratives. For instance, her exhibition "Made in Sweden" visualises the dissonance between her Korean heritage and Swedish upbringing, using ironic exaggerations and stereotypes to explore orientalism and personal identity and how it is influenced by external perceptions. Through this and other works, she questions concepts like cultural appropriation, ethnic currency, and the complexities of living between cultures.

Hjalmarsson's portfolio serves as a visual diary, capturing fleeting moments and emotions in an attempt to create a sense of permanence in a transient world. This theme is evident across her portfolio, which she describes as a "love letter to life," where each piece is a proof of existence and a testament to the significance of the moment it portrays​. This idea is perhaps most present in her project "To My Muse," where she turns the deeply personal into the universal, offering an intimate exploration of love, partnership, and the creative process. The series feature multiple oil paintings using her partner (musician Andy Yeo) as a muse to commemorate an era of their life while also exploring the traditional dynamics of portraiture. Through her female gaze, she explores the complex relationship between artist and sitter, infusing the pieces with contemporary pop culture references, art historical nods, and personal anecdotes unique to their partnership. By placing herself in the traditionally male-dominated role of the artist and portraying her male muse with deep respect and adoration, the series challenges the conventional gender roles in art.