Gudmar Olovson (1936-2017)

Gudmar Olovson was exhibited at all the big "Salons" in Paris ever since the early sixties, the latest being a complete one-man retrospective at La Monnaie de Paris (The French Mint) in 2007.

In 2008, a museum honouring Gudmar’s work was inaugurated in Falsterbo, Sweden (Falsterbonäsets Open Air Museum, Höllviken), featuring five monumental bronzes: "The Two Trees", "Prelude to Life", "Two Sisters", "Concorde", "Wounded Woman-Bird". Swedish businessman Bo Hjelt, a close friend, sponsored the park through the Hjelt Foundation.

Gudmar Olovson´s probably most acclaimed work of art, "The Two Trees", is prominently showcased, in monumental size, in Falsterbo, in his sculpture garden at Château de Cheverny, in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, in the gardens of Château Pétrus and adorning the HQ of Ferring Pharmaceuticals in Copenhagen. "Two Sisters" stands in front of the same corporation’s facilities in New Jersey and all adorns Château de Cheverny as well as does ”Prelude”, which likewise embellishes the halls of Medicover’s health clinics and centers in Warsaw and Bucharest.

"The Dove", a symbol of peace, stands as a herculean landmark for sailors in the Swedish Bohuslän archipelago, on the island (property of the Schmidt family) iconic Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, another friend of the artist and his family, called home.

On the French Riviera, "J’aime Les Nuages" and "La Concorde" proudly stand on the seafront promenade of Cagnes-sur-Mer since 2015.

His many sculpted portraits include those of HRH Carl XVI Gustaf King of Sweden, HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Pope John Paul II, Charles de Gaulle and of Georges Pompidou. Ingrid Bergman, Jacob Wallenberg, Peter Wallenberg, Gustaf F. Serlachius and Philippe de Rothschild are among the numerous other portraited grandees, many of whom remained life-long friends.

He was married from 1964 to 1982 to Birgitta Holmberg. They had two children, Magnus born in 1965 and Susanne in 1970.

Gudmar Olovson passed away in southern France on April 17th, 2017 at the age of 81.

Utställningar

Utvalda priser

  • 1963 Prix de la Grèce de l’Art libre, Paris

  • 1964 Médaille de bronze, Salon des Artistes français, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1965 Prix sculpture de l’Art libre, Paris

  • 1966 Grand Prix de sculpture de l’Ile de Bendor – Paul Ricard

  • 1967 Grand Prix de sculpture de l’Ile de Bendor – Paul Ricard

  • 1970 Médaille d’or, Salon des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1971 Grand Prix de sculpture, Académie des beaux-arts de Paris

  • 1976 Prix d’Angers

  • 1976 Prix de sculpture au Salon de Baugé, Château de Baugé, Maine-et-Loire

  • 1999 Grand Prix de la Fondation Taylor, Paris

  • 2011 Chevalier des Art et des Lettres, Ministère d´Affaire Étrangères.

Selected one man exhibitions

  • 1969 Cercle suédois, Paris

  • 1976 Kennedy gallery, New York

  • 1977 SDS-hallen, Malmö

  • 1980 Galerie Rocco, Turzi, Paris

  • 1987 Galleri Lejonet, Stockholm

  • 1988 Svenska mässan, Göteborg

  • 1993 Galerie Rocco, Turzi, Paris

  • 1994 Galerie Annick Driguez, Paris

  • 1995 UNESCO 50 ans, Paris

  • 1996 Club des poètes, Paris

  • 1999 Fondation Taylor, Paris

  • 2000 Falsterbo Konsthall, Falsterbo

  • 2002 Siège d’AXA, Paris

  • 2008 La Monnaie de Paris, Paris

  • 2009 Cercle Munster, Luxemburg

  • 2015 Sällskapet, Stockholm

  • 2016 Royal Bachelors Club, Gothenburg

Utvalda utställningar

  • 1961 Vårsalongen, Cercle Suédois, Paris

  • 1962 Salon de l´Art Libre, Palais des beaux-arts de la ville de Paris

  • 1962 Vårsalongen Liljevalchs, Stockholm

  • 1963 Salon de Indépendants, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1963 Vårsalongen Liljevalchs, Stockholm

  • 1964 Art Suédois Contemporain, Musée Galliera, Paris

  • 1964 Formes Humaines, Musée Rodin, Paris,

  • 1964 Salon Terres Latines, Musée d´art moderne de la ville de Paris

  • 1964 Salon de l´Art libre, Paris

  • 1964 Salon des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1965 Art Suédois Contemporain, Musée Galliera, Paris

  • 1965 Le groupe des neuf, Galerie Vendôme, Paris

  • 1965 Salon Contemporain, Musée d´art moderne de la ville de Paris

  • 1965 Salin d´Automne, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1965 Salon des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1965 Salon Terres Latines, Musée d´art moderne de la ville de Paris

  • 1966 Salon Comparaisons, Paris

  • 1966 Dessins de sculpteurs de Rodin à nos jours, Strasbourg

  • 1966 Fondations Paul-Ricard au Salon de Vittel

  • 1966 Indépendance et traditions de l`art Français, Madrid

  • 1966 La Maison de la culture de Bourges

  • 1966 Nutida svensk skulptur, Liljevalchs, Stockholm

  • 1966 Oeuvres de papier, Institut Tessin, Paris

  • 1967 Theatre Montparnasse, Paris

  • 1970 The Parisskulptörer Färg och Form, Stockholm

  • 1970 Grands Sculpteurs contemporains, Palais des Archevêques, Narbonnes

  • 1970 Salon des Artistes Français, Paris

  • 1971 Beauté de L´Europe, Musée Galliera, Paris

  • 1971 Beauté de L´Europe, Musée des Pochettes, Nice

  • 1972 Concours Paul-Louis Weiller, Institut de France, Paris

  • 1972 Salon des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris

  • 1974 Concours Paul-Louis Weiller, Institut de France, Paris

  • 1974 Formes humaines, Musée Rodin, Paris

  • 1976 Salon de Baugé, Chateau de Baugé, Maine-et-Loire

  • 1990 Sculpture Francaise, Versailles

  • 1999 Fondation Taylor, Paris

  • 2004 Le Portrait sculpté, Galerie Malaquais, Paris

  • 2005 Dessins de sculpteurs, Galerie Malaquais, Paris

  • 2015 Musée Grimaldi, Haut de Cagnes, Provence