Håkan Rehnberg was born in Gothenburg in 1953. He studied at the Kungliga Kunsthögskolan (Royal Institute of Art) in Stockholm (1975-1980) and Cité des Arts in Paris (1984-1986). Later, he would temporarily serve on the other side of the desk as a professor at Kungliga Konsthögskolan (Royal Institute of Art, 1994-1995). He has been a member of The Royal Academy of Fine Arts since 2000.
Throughout his career, Rehnberg has resisted the appeal of contemporary trends, as well as of rehashing the historical legacy, to carve out his own distinctive niche. Favouring sandblasted acrylic glass over canvas, the artist cultivates a weightless aesthetic to underline painting’s floating potential. The oil paint is applied with scrapers or by hand over multiple layers, each work displaying a limited number of colours and patterns. The lyrical mood of the paintings is accentuated by Rehnberg’s powerful, expressive brushstrokes.
This (de-)spatialised approach is illustrative of Rehnberg’s investment in the viewer’s physical engagement, a consideration also apparent in his architectonic sculpture.
Recent solo exhibitions include: Nässjö Konsthall (2019); Galerie Nordenhake, Berlin (2016); Galerie Forsblom, Helsinki (2016); Moderna Museet, Stockholm (2015); Galerie Nordenhake Stockholm/Berlin (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020); Malmö Konstmuseum (2007); Studio A, Otterndorf (2006); Vida Konsthall, Halltorp (2005); Sønderjyllands Kunstmuseum, Tønder, Denmark (2004); and Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm (2002). International appearances include: Sydney Biennale (2010); National Art Museum of China, NAMOC, Beijing (2008); and the Helsinki City Art Museum (2002).
Rehnberg lives and works in Stockholm.
