Heaven and Hell
Jan Berglund
Pastel
16x20
NFS
My paintings are portraits of timeworn structures and objects in the urban landscape. Through a representational style, my intent is that the structures convey a variety of stories told over years of use and abuse. By placing the viewer up close into the immediate space of the subject, I prompt them to establish a personal connection to these stories. Through the use of high contrasts, intense sunlight, and desolate settings, a pensive mood is evoked in the work. Some of the subjects’ stories are quiet and simple, and yet some are dramatic and profound. The aging man-made structures I depict are often decaying, but my goal is to in present them with dignity.