Gustaf Lilliestierna - Death is nothing but a theory

Artist: Gustaf Lilliestierna

Gustaf Lilliestierna's work is grounded in an aesthetic and theoretical fascination with images, a fascination that has sparked a strong interest in the ontology of the image. 

In his painterly work, Gustaf examines a distinct image as it emerges mentally. He then seeks to create a clear reference by studying the character of the mental image through associative, logical, and dramaturgical principles. Gustaf then uses this mental reference as a model in painting.

However, depicting mental images has led Gustaf to contemplate the implicit nature of the image: how do we actually differentiate a depiction from what we call an image? And is it really possible to characterize the properties of a specific image without this image becoming distorted in relation to the viewer and therefore inevitably transcending itself? Due to these considerations, Gustaf's works often give rise to ambivalent impressions, thus engaging the viewer in a process reminiscent of the one that entertained the artist in the creation of the work: mentally proposing and investigating the conditions of visual language context based on personal associations. Gustaf therefore argues that his work is not the image we see in itself, but rather the images that emerge mentally when a viewer imagines the circumstances through their mental visual language.

Gustaf is based in Stockholm and has a background in philosophy and fine arts.