Capism Your investment is my playground

November 10, 2013

“Mark my Words” in Himalayan Times

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Here are some sweet words about my exhibition “Mark my words” at Image Ark gallery published in The Himalayan Times. Thank you very much for the support and for showing interest in my art. The complete article can be found here or read it below.  The exhibition is open until 29th of November 2013, Enjoy!

Himalayan times

 

KATHMANDU: When writers put together words, readers gain knowledge while understanding the writer’s perspective. Nevertheless, playing with words and creating painting out of the words surpass the ordinary thinking of creating art. Working with words on a sheet of paper using the basic technique of stencil, Casper Johansson aka Cap from Sweden has outshone himself as an artist.

And the evidence is his exhibition ‘Mark My Words’ at Image Ark Gallery, Kulimha Tole, Patan that began on October 27. Here, you can witness portraits of children, young people, Bay of Bengal and more, mainly in black-and-white or in colours like blue, yellow, and red.

A quick look at those works will give you an impression that they are all portraits. But as you observe them, you will start noticing words like ‘food’, ‘freedom’, ‘screen’, ‘escape’ and more which together bring out the ‘whole picture’ of these portraits.

Cap explains, “I love words. Words and language for me is power. If you can control them, it means you can gain knowledge and power. As an artist, I can’t write as writing doesn’t work for me. Still I love words. So, I use them in my paintings to make images out of words.”

In one of his works ‘Shipped Away’, Cap has painted an image of a young boy lying calmly on a bamboo raft where a packet of cigarette and a spray can are scattered. It is the portrait of local graffiti artist, who despite having a desire create artwork, has less chances of expressing himself due to political and economical situation around him.

Another is a series of paintings that narrates story of how the Internet is being used in Burma. He has used interesting metaphors like pirate, ship, wires, rat and more that are preventing people from accessing the Internet and information.

His artworks have contradictions — the portraits look clam and resilient but the message that he is conveying is revolutionary. The messages urge people to fight for their rights, which symbolises struggle. Some of the experiences required to create such works were gathered during his six years’ stay in Burma.

The exhibition is on till November 29.

 

The newspaper also published a picture of my new triptic piece titled “Undisciplined tribe”, 2013, Ink on paper, 3 x 56 x 76 cm

Undisciplined-tribe-triptic2

January 16, 2013

An open love letter to Yangon

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — cap @ 10:16 am

Hustlers and thugs, vandals and lovers, family and friends,

I arrived in Yangon, Myanmar in mid 2007. I came with very little knowledge about the country and with an open mind just days before the September uprising. Since then, I have witnessed dreams being crushed by force, hope swept away by floods and peoples voices being ignored. I have witnessed babies being born and people past away. Together we have been happy and sad. Still it has been one of my best periods in my life because you made me an artist. It is your warmth and openness that made everything possible and there is no proper way of saying thank you. But please remember that you have been and always will be a huge part of my life. Together we have achieved a lot of positive things and this is just the end of a new beginning.

I don´t want to mention any names because I don´t want to forget anyone that have been part of this journey. But what I would like to mention is three informal institutions of which my life in Myanmar have been circulated around since my arrival. In no specific order my love and respect goes out to you;

Pansodan Gallery, the hub of knowledge, hospitality and late night discussions. I have learned so much by just being around the people and the art passing through the gallery.  Also, thank you for letting me exhibit at the gallery. The 10th of December 2011 was one of my best evenings ever in my life. From that day and onwards I haven´t hesitated once when asked what I am doing for a living. I am an artist! Thank you

Thank you Side Effect for your endless friendship, for your struggles and success. For your commitment to stay independent and instead following your hearts and dreams. I wish you all the best in future and I stick to my commitment as self proclaimed driver on your world tour when the time has come. One more thing, I truly believe that we will meet in Sweden so you better change the lyrics of the song. Maybe we can control the future after all.

Thank you Yangon Street Art (YSA crew) for your attitude and generosity. You guys have been an endless source of inspiration to me and I think that if you look at my paintings you see what I mean. Thank you for keeping me being creative and for the new styles, shapes and colors you are sharing with the city late nights in Boogie Down Yangon. Also, I just sold the “Burners not Bombs” piece meaning that drinks and food is on me next time we meet. Remember, always stick together.

I never got the opportunity to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and maybe it wasn´t meant to be. Actually I am not sure what I would say to her if I got the chance. Honestly, I think I am more happy that she had the opportunity to meet up with one of my paintings (the one in the photo is titled Painfully average) because she, along with the people of this beautiful country, have been a great inspiration in my life, in my work as an artist and in our common struggle for making this world a better place.

I will always remember all of you. Until next time, loads of love

Cap

November 9, 2012

Selection of paintings @Pansodan gallery

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — cap @ 9:41 am

Since I don´t have a studio at the moment I have handed over a selection of painting for display at Pansodan Gallery. Three of them are new and the two are from my latest solo exhibition “BETA Version”.

Cardialgia, 2012, ink on paper, 56 X 77 cm

Center of the universe, 2012, ink on paper, 56 X 77 cm

Nutrition facts: Kryptonite, 2012, ink on paper, 56 X 77 cm

Much Oblige, 2011, ink on paper and Burners not bombs, 2011, ink on paper

I also handed over the complete set of limited edition prints of the “Breaking Silence” series. The series comments on censorship, about who owns and how we use information on the internet, especially from my experience of working and living in Myanmar. Each design has a 50 pcs limited edition, all numbered and framed. Follow the hyperlink above for details of each print.

I you want to have a look at my paintings in real life and/or if you want to experience a wide range of great art from Myanmar please drop by Pansodan Gallery:

1st Floor, 286 Pansodan street, Kyauktada Township, Yangon, 09 5130846

You can also visit the Pansodan website or join their art buzz at Facebook.

If you have any questions about my work, feel free to contact me or the excellent people representing Pansodan Gallery. Open daily so no excuses, time is all we have.

October 28, 2012

#streetsoldier #Gtone (in progress)

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — cap @ 7:35 pm

While you are waiting for this piece to be finished you can always listen to his music here and here or get updated about Hip-Hop in Burma here (in Burmese)

October 16, 2012

Past week in pictures

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — cap @ 12:54 pm

I love stickers, especially where they can grow old. Have you seen this on? Do you know the location? (clue: It is Tuesday and I heading down to this place when I am done with the writing)

I delivered my latest painting “U.S. Airmail” the other day. It seems that it will hang next to a Vietnamese propaganda poster and “Breaking Silence” print signed yours truly! thanks for the support once again.

Public and private spaces are shrinking with time, they call it globalization I heard. Today I was working on my representation making business cards in Studio Duelling Banjos (portable version 3.0)

SmileEvilsmile is a good friend of mine. I like him for many reasons but maybe most because he keeps it simple!

I was also published in TuckMagazine with five of my paintings. The text is either written by a computer or a poet on Kitamine. This is what they said about me and my work:

Casper ‘Cap’ Johansson’s art sparkles in a world blurred by blindness. Lost in a never ending prayer of preached progress the voiceless scream in thought against a modernity choking, each of the artist’s pieces bleeding feeling; the passion of belief breathing in a repressed society.

Envious of dream the fight against continues as, in anonymity’s mask, a being bleeds from believing; androgynous to a self the cell society breeds in. Heat freezes in a timed mind as captured in light the image of today’s pensive soul is painted. The body illuminates in intensity, a burning truth through fear piercing, the artist in rich starkness showing life smothered from breathing. Purity weeps in progress painted, mourning life dead in living.

In darkness light through expression explodes. Thoughts run away from trained feelings, an everyday defiance of the mind as in the heart the head beats. To another a differing eye, an opinion caught in fixed misunderstandings as meaning tails off in despair. Johansson delights in creating a future present, the pattern of thought visible to eyes open, each alive in individual definition.

Energy defies fate as blind minds fall from a waiting sky, the artist skilfully placing the viewer in the centre of a suffocating everyday. Set amidst a faceless city representing any and everywhere breathing, nature rebels in being, bleeding colour to the heart of human grieving. In a memorised present, withering life spins against the control it dies from, society repressed in an over populated ideal as collected breath is held from a watching world.

Concealed in disbelief a generation loses sight from a mind mechanical in thought. Tied to ticking eyes the body hides from prying, a blank staring back at an overwhelming world, the artist emphasising humanity’s plight against an improvement created. Faith fights for the glint in each, an indirection sought in the self to an expressive new as, limited by design, technology burns to a soul breathing.

Fiery waves adorn a canvas dark in thought, Johansson lighting an eye’s imagination to minds expanding, the rich white of light sheltering truths; a skin to the blood of fated living. Alive in invention the illusion of believing bleeds to another day blind as coloured from soul, the artist’s heart shines through.

Seeking truth in justice Johansson’s art continues to evolve, his impression of humanity’s struggle against itself profound and piercing.

#Mugshot #lesshairthen

June 30, 2012

CLAP 1 2 3 outcomes from Twotwenty

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — cap @ 8:05 pm

Here are great links to see various photos from the latest exhibition titled CLAP 1 2 3 at Dagaung Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar that I participated in, once again big up to Satan and WTC crew and YGN writers for showing great skills! photo credits to Twotwenty. Just click it!

PRE photos

LIVE performence

POST photos

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