JON KOKO

The exhibition’s title reflects the multifaceted nature of his subjects, such as houses, landscapes, and architectural details. Known for his serene, dreamlike compositions, Koko captures fleeting moments and impressions of places, weaving them into meditative works that radiate a sense of tranquility. His paintings draw inspiration from locations that have left a lasting imprint on him, including Scandinavia, Switzerland, Japan, Spain, and Greece. “I could see beauty and poetry in those settings”, he explains.

Each scene is imbued with what he describes as a “beautiful gloom”, a persistent undertone of overcast skies and quiet reflection that mirrors the introspective calm of Swedish intrinsic nature. It is not uplifting, yet it is calming and grounding, a serene atmosphere that connects these environments and memories.

Through these works, Koko offers a peaceful refuge, to linger in their quiet, ethereal landscapes. Slow, contemplative scenes capture moments of stillness—rippling water, silent landscapes—where the human figure, when present, appears as a subtle accent, seamlessly harmonized with its surroundings.

With a signature pale Scandinavian palette and the use of simple, flattened forms, Koko’s work achieves a delicate balance between abstraction and representation. Among the works on display is Mytilini, a departure into abstraction inspired by the windows of an ancient ruin in Greece. Across all the pieces, the artist conveys the unique stories and moods tied to the places he portrays, offering us not just scenes, but the essence of memory itself. Ashe explains, “Each painting is as a gateway to that specific mood that I want to express”.

Infused with a long-standing admiration for Eastern aesthetics and philosophy, Koko’s paintings carry a meditative quality. Together, the works in Minnen från hus och rum form a quiet but profound homage to the beauty and poetry found in the everyday and the enduring power of memory.