Top Swedish artist to show her work in Hastings

One of the most highly rated and distinctive artists in Europe will be exhibiting her work in Hastings next month.
Ida Haag 1 SUS-200218-105548001Ida Haag 1 SUS-200218-105548001
Ida Haag 1 SUS-200218-105548001

Ida Haag will have her paintings and sculptures on view at Hastings Arts Forum, Marina St Leonards, from March 4 - 15 in a show called Contrasts.

She is sharing exhibition space with Kenyan artist Vincent Oyenga.

Ida Haag was born in Kungs-Husby, Sweden 1979.

Ida Haag 2 SUS-200218-111054001Ida Haag 2 SUS-200218-111054001
Ida Haag 2 SUS-200218-111054001
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To talk about Ida Haag’s art without trying to understand her mind is virtually impossible. In order for her to survive in the “normal” world she applies special mechanisms and fictional characters that can be perceived as reality.

Some of these personas are from her parallel world, Ismanien. These characters are the ones you can see in her art. Her art speaks of identity, illusion, magic and nudity. The motifs conceals strong dramatic emotions often within deceptively endearing images.

Ida has a BA degree in Fine Arts from the University of East London, in Image and Form from Mälardalens University, in Photo and Image from Umeå University, in Art and Design from Ålsta College and a background as a photographer and jewellery designer.

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Ida has mostly exhibited abroad including London, Paris and Bordeaux. She lives and work in Enköping, Sweden and in Bali, Indonesia where she also stays and work a few months a year.

Ida Haag’s studio has become her life. All that is within her facilitates a need to “get out”.

Ida describes it as she doesn’t have a choice. “My art is my survival” she says.

To get control over her emotions she breaks them down and reconstructs them in her art, bit by bit, layer by layer.

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The process to the final result can sometimes take up to a year.

Each layer has its own story and state of mind. In real life, she says, we cannot break down emotions but we are still trying to control them.

“All the feelings we repress are always the ones that finally come up to the surface”, she says.

Ida has also written and illustrated a number of books. A new book, containing images of her artwork will be available at the exhibition.

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Vincent Oyenga’s work combines the vibrancy and colour of Kenya where he grew up,and the inner and outer journeys taken since. Matisse, Monet, Modigliani, Boghossian and Schiele, capture his imagination and have influenced his art in different ways.

Hastings Arts Forum is a registered charity and members’organisation working to support the arts locally and regionally. It has two interconnected galleries.

The opening night of the new exhibition is Wednesday March 4 from 6.30pm onwards.

For more visit www.hastingsartsforum.co.uk.

Photos by Anders Nordenhierta.

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