Lindström, Bengt

Bengt Lindström, Swedish painter and lithographer, was born in Storsjökapell in 1925. He grew up in the vast stretches of wilderness of Lapland, where he developed a great interest in Scandinavian spirituality, culture, mythology, and legends. He studied art under the tuition of Isaac Grunewald (who himself studied under Matisse) and Aksel Jörgensen. He moved to Paris in 1948 to work with Fernand Leger and André Lhote and studied lithography and engraving. He is considered to be an instigator of the « Nouvelle Figuration » artistic movement. His work is often compared to works by the COBRA group which was initiated in 1948. The artist is also known for his large colourful mural paintings and monumental sculptures. Lindström spent all of his career in France. He died on January 29, 2008.