She Who Speaks

Carl Johan Högberg

14 Mar 2009
3 أيار / مايو 2009

Carl Johan Högberg's paintings are usually based on existing images originating from magazines, books, archives, etc. His interest in media archaeology and the specific characteristics of the areas of cultural expression he deals with is the basis of his image selection. Högberg speaks of "sources bearing qualities of evidence, of making or proving a statement, documents with convincing powers in whatever field they originated from". One area of research is that of situations where reason has conquered superstition yet the fiction outlives the facts. The sources are approached with differing styles and strategies and the oscillation between fact and fiction is reflected in the mediums used.

Enlarge

Mumler's Trick, by: Carl Johan Högberg -

The title of the exhibition derives from an article written by Daniel Rosenberg in 2000, and suggests that all works are connected to one core subject: she, and to one core activity: speaking. The article by Rosenbergdeals with the story of Hélène Smith, the pseudonym for Catherine-Elise Müller, a young Swiss medium who gave celebrated séances for high society at the end of the 19th century. Among her more well known incarnations were Marie Antoinette, Caligastro and Victor Hugo.

Official opening 21 March, 21.00 hrs.