Many artists have explored life’s existential questions, and Karin Lind is no exception. When we close our eyes, we shut out the visible world and invite a realm of inner imagery. Karin’s visual world navigates between these two realms—dream and reality, visible and invisible—interweaving them into a unique cosmos.
The exhibition Behind the Eyelid showcases newly produced works, including paintings, sculptures, and charcoal drawings. The paintings, created with water-soluble oils on sheets of aluminum and brass, possess a distinct luster and character that harmonize beautifully with the aluminum-cast sculptures.
As part of a scholarship, the artist spent last winter in South Africa, translating her experiences from this inspiring journey into her art. These experiences, impressions, and reflections are evident in the Behind the Eyelid exhibition, alongside the artist’s personal reflections on losing a loved one, which are thematically woven into the works.
Entering Karin Lind’s visual world is an adventure, evoking a post-surrealistic universe where the boundary between the visible and invisible is thin, and death becomes a prerequisite for life, just as life is for death. In many of her works, we encounter solitary figures, creatures journeying to or from various places, running water, and staircases that seemingly lead from one realm to another.
In her artistic practice, Karin Lind relies heavily on intuition rather than sketches, imparting a directness to her works. They are vibrant and playful, with imagination given free rein, allowed to flow on its own terms.
The entire exhibition is characterized by a free-flowing nature, where the artist’s experiences and perceptions merge seamlessly with intuition, visualized through her art. There are no boundaries or hints of perfectionism and pedantry—only a dynamic, organic flow rooted in extensive artistic experience and practice. This spirit reflects Lao-tzu’s sentiment: “Man at his best, like water... / Loves living close to the earth, / Living clear down in his heart.” This essence is vividly embodied in Karin Lind’s art.
The sculptural works The Mother’s Lament serve as carriers, but of what? This evokes thoughts of South Africa, where women often bear burdens—are they carrying life itself, or perhaps visions for the future? These visions encompass hopes for reducing disparities through social, ecological, and economic equality.
Karin Lind’s deep love for art, combined with her extensive experience, infuses her works with profound pathos and sensitivity. This connection engages and moves viewers, drawing them into the pressing issues of our time.
Lind invites us to look beyond the surface, beneath the outer layers of perceived reality, into the hidden realms where a new and different world of experiences emerges. Her artworks arise from the intersection of the tangible material world and the unseen inner world that reveals itself when we close our eyes. Here, reality intertwines with fantasy, nature, and poetry. It is an adventure into the unknown, into the very essence of art.
– Kalinka Ussing, Art Historian
Karin Lind, born in 1959, is based in Stockholm and works in Sweden and internationally. She is a visual artist and scenographer whose practice blends sculpture, painting, and scenography. In addition to her solo work, Lind collaborates with Simon Häggblom in the artist duo SIMKA. Their work centres on the investigation and creation of different rooms and spaces for human interaction.
Since 1992, Karin has been involved in over 150 opera and dance productions. As a visual artist since 1983, her work has encompassed sculpture, painting, public art, performance art, public installations, and written works.
For more information, visit www.simka.se.
