Modern Times Presents Foundations Past Times Charlotte Swiden
Monday, February 17, 2020
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After a 10-year hiatus, Charlotte Swiden has returned to icon amongst her exhibition Foundations, opening at Modern Times on Th 27th February. Charlotte’s disciplined approach to composition too colour, honed every bit a graphic designer, has transmuted into something softer too closer to nature – a serial of abstract paintings that pulsate amongst motifs of plants, primitive figures too intimations of landscape, rendered inward a muted earthen palette.
Charlotte grew upwards inward Sweden, moving to Commonwealth of Australia inward 2005, too describes her run every bit an interplay of these ii identities, ii cultures too the tension that lies betwixt the two. “Some of the themes inward my works are stories unopen to that identity split. Some are unopen to nostalgia from home; beingness immersed inward nature, a community too a solid social infrastructure.”
The mood of each icon shifts along a scale of emotion. The artworks I've picked out to part are some of my favourites from the beautiful trunk of work. I particularly dearest the softer muted tones, too rounded abstract figures such every bit Midnight Sun (above), too Mother Moon (below). 
Modernist painters are an influence which permeates Charlotte's work, close notably inward the reductionist abstraction too fragmented overlaying representations of figure too object. Charlotte describes a seminal experience at the Picasso museum inward Paris every bit a high-school student, “(it) blew my mind. After I’d been at that topographic point I felt similar I could never direct maintain an fine art experience similar that i time to a greater extent than too I all the same experience the same.” 
Charlotte describes Foundations every bit returning dwelling too letting her inner vox resurface.
"It’s a magazine of human behaviour, roots, novel leaves too a longing for nature. After I had my 2nd tike I started collaging too icon i time to a greater extent than too I took my exercise dorsum to my foundations. Time became hence precious, I needed to simplify too larn to a greater extent than minimalistic inward what I chose to do. Once I started icon i time to a greater extent than it was all hence clear too easy. It was similar I had an 800 page novel waiting inside, burning to escape. It was every bit if I had been living inward an overly decorated trace of piece of job solid too a wild tempest went through. When the air current calmed the walls had been stripped, you lot could meet the os structure, the starry heaven too experience the bounding main breeze. And suddenly, at that topographic point is to a greater extent than room for my ain stories too my ain language."
— Charlotte Swiden
After a career every bit a graphic designer too amongst her ain trace of distinctly Swedish inspired homewares - Swiden, this homecoming to icon marks an exciting instant inward Charlotte’s career trajectory.
If you're inward Melbourne, bring together Charlotte too the Modern Times squad at the exhibition opening for a celebratory quaff on Th 27th Feb betwixt 6-8pm.
The exhibition runs through to eighth March, amongst pre-sales opening 20th February.
To detect out more, or to download the catalogue, accept a await here.
Images courtesy of Modern Times