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Jörgen Thornberg
Pigsy Letting Her Balloon Free - A Tribute to Banksy, 2023
Digital
50 x 70 cm
They had their faces twisted toward their haunches
and found it necessary to walk backwards,
because they could not see ahead of them.
... and since he wanted so to see ahead,
he looks behind and walks a backward path.
Dante Alighieri's poem Inferno may have influenced Banksy. Allegorically, the Renaissance poet's poem represents a poor soul seeing sin for what it is. Dante's beasts represent different types of evil, like the self-indulgent, the violent, and the malicious, all significant engines behind most of what Banksy is fighting.
If the artist has been on Hydra is unclear; if he has, he did not leave any tracks, no graffiti on any Hydra wall. Here and there, you find undesirable murals on our island, but they are small and could be more innovative. Should Banksy come to our island, maybe his 'Girl with Balloon' could be accepted. It has a message connected with love. The question remains if the girl lost her balloon to the wind or if she let it free. I can tell it was no mishap. In my version, a piglet, Pigsy, had stopped on her way to Mandraki. It was one of these fantastic early-summer days. She looked happy in her new yellow coat and nifty feathered hat. It must be Sunday because she had painted her nails and put on red lipstick; in her right hand, she's holding a matching red heart-shaped balloon. It swayed lazily in the soft breeze.
Below the citadel, with Admiral Miaouli's all-seeing eyes checking her moves, Pigsy stopped and contemplated. She turned her head and searched for the Admirals' eyes. The statue seemingly nodded. She turned at the sea again, and a couple of minutes passed. Then she decided to set her balloon free. I could see the Admiral nod again with a pleased grin. He once freed Hydra from the Turks, and why should a balloon not be free to disperse its hearty message to other islands. Pigsy wanted it to be a symbol of all globally unfree young women: girls in Iran persecuted and gassed by the regime, girls in Eastern Ukraine kidnapped by the Russians, and girls in Afghanistan being enslaved by the brutal Taliban government. Pigsy has thought a lot about other girls' situation, herself having the luck of being born in a free country, a Democracy with a functioning rule of law.
Over 30 million women and girls have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, war, and persecution. In Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Mali and Niger, Muslim extremists repeatedly kill girls. They must flee for their life. A girl on the run is very vulnerable, and being forced to leave her home and live in unknown places can be life-threatening. Many more around the world are exposed to systematic hate crimes and persecution. That was the reason for letting the balloon free.
Banksy is undoubtedly the undisputed king of street art. He is a genius and star artist who moves people by speaking to their souls with his sometimes ironic, sometimes political, but always poetic works.
World famous yet a mystery - Banksy is the Bristol-born and still anonymous graffiti artist. He is an artist known for challenging the art world's boundaries and whose work has caused stir and headlines for years. I have seen the exhibition 'The Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind', which covers all the elements of the icon. It tells the story of the artist's masterpiece and challenges the viewer to use art themselves as a means of influence. The exhibition is unparalleled, with more than 150 presentations of works by the acclaimed street art artist.
Skilled artists have reproduced photographs, Graffiti, sculptures, video installations, and prints on various materials, especially for this special exhibition. In keeping with Banksy's motto, "Copyright is for losers ©TM," the artist does not authorise this tribute and the works displayed therein due to his anonymous status.
In 2018, a framed copy of 'Girl with Balloon' was spontaneously shredded during an auction at Sotheby's using a mechanical device hidden in the frame. Banksy has confirmed he was responsible for the shredding and gave the altered piece a new name, 'Love is in the Bin'. Sotheby's said it was "the first work in history ever created during a live auction." The half-shredded painting was reported to have been sold for $25.4 million in 2021.
His girl has moved into several locations worldwide, including Waterloo Bridge and other sites around London, a mural on the West Bank barrier, and another in Bethlehem. In March 2014, the third anniversary of the Syrian conflict, Banksy reworked the painting to depict a Syrian refugee and added the hashtag #WithSyria. He has had the girl projected on the Eiffel Tower and Nelson's Column.
The artist has dealt with various political and social themes, a lot of 'anti' like anti-consumerism, anti-war, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, anti-authoritarianism, anarchism, nihilism, and existentialism. Additionally, his works commonly critique the components of the human condition, an extended list of the Seven deadly sins, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride and Lust, completed with his ban on war, injustice, poverty, hypocrisy, boredom, despair, absurdity, and alienation, but always support love, which is no sin at all. It is a long list. I feel like a kindred spirit and will continue my work as I have done for the last fifteen years.
Banksy has donated several works to promote various causes. He has privately funded a rescue boat to save refugees at risk in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship has been painted pink, with the young girl holding a heart-shaped safety float. Banksy is worth all support.
The piglet may look small and helpless, but she is smart and should not be underestimated. A rightly used balloon is a mighty weapon and a symbol of freedom. Pigsy knows that. Letting the words free and sail away means more people get the message. Like rings on the water, she will forward her expressions of love after throwing a stone. She is not religious but agrees with the Dalai Lama that love is the only way to defeat all deadly sins. It's common sense, actually.
O blind cupidity and insane anger,
which goad us on so much in our short life,
then steep us in such grief eternally!
It is late this year to celebrate World Theatre Day. It was already on 27 March, but if you are on Hydra, you can honour it daily in the port.
Jörgen Thornberg
Pigsy Letting Her Balloon Free - A Tribute to Banksy, 2023
Digital
50 x 70 cm
They had their faces twisted toward their haunches
and found it necessary to walk backwards,
because they could not see ahead of them.
... and since he wanted so to see ahead,
he looks behind and walks a backward path.
Dante Alighieri's poem Inferno may have influenced Banksy. Allegorically, the Renaissance poet's poem represents a poor soul seeing sin for what it is. Dante's beasts represent different types of evil, like the self-indulgent, the violent, and the malicious, all significant engines behind most of what Banksy is fighting.
If the artist has been on Hydra is unclear; if he has, he did not leave any tracks, no graffiti on any Hydra wall. Here and there, you find undesirable murals on our island, but they are small and could be more innovative. Should Banksy come to our island, maybe his 'Girl with Balloon' could be accepted. It has a message connected with love. The question remains if the girl lost her balloon to the wind or if she let it free. I can tell it was no mishap. In my version, a piglet, Pigsy, had stopped on her way to Mandraki. It was one of these fantastic early-summer days. She looked happy in her new yellow coat and nifty feathered hat. It must be Sunday because she had painted her nails and put on red lipstick; in her right hand, she's holding a matching red heart-shaped balloon. It swayed lazily in the soft breeze.
Below the citadel, with Admiral Miaouli's all-seeing eyes checking her moves, Pigsy stopped and contemplated. She turned her head and searched for the Admirals' eyes. The statue seemingly nodded. She turned at the sea again, and a couple of minutes passed. Then she decided to set her balloon free. I could see the Admiral nod again with a pleased grin. He once freed Hydra from the Turks, and why should a balloon not be free to disperse its hearty message to other islands. Pigsy wanted it to be a symbol of all globally unfree young women: girls in Iran persecuted and gassed by the regime, girls in Eastern Ukraine kidnapped by the Russians, and girls in Afghanistan being enslaved by the brutal Taliban government. Pigsy has thought a lot about other girls' situation, herself having the luck of being born in a free country, a Democracy with a functioning rule of law.
Over 30 million women and girls have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, war, and persecution. In Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Mali and Niger, Muslim extremists repeatedly kill girls. They must flee for their life. A girl on the run is very vulnerable, and being forced to leave her home and live in unknown places can be life-threatening. Many more around the world are exposed to systematic hate crimes and persecution. That was the reason for letting the balloon free.
Banksy is undoubtedly the undisputed king of street art. He is a genius and star artist who moves people by speaking to their souls with his sometimes ironic, sometimes political, but always poetic works.
World famous yet a mystery - Banksy is the Bristol-born and still anonymous graffiti artist. He is an artist known for challenging the art world's boundaries and whose work has caused stir and headlines for years. I have seen the exhibition 'The Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind', which covers all the elements of the icon. It tells the story of the artist's masterpiece and challenges the viewer to use art themselves as a means of influence. The exhibition is unparalleled, with more than 150 presentations of works by the acclaimed street art artist.
Skilled artists have reproduced photographs, Graffiti, sculptures, video installations, and prints on various materials, especially for this special exhibition. In keeping with Banksy's motto, "Copyright is for losers ©TM," the artist does not authorise this tribute and the works displayed therein due to his anonymous status.
In 2018, a framed copy of 'Girl with Balloon' was spontaneously shredded during an auction at Sotheby's using a mechanical device hidden in the frame. Banksy has confirmed he was responsible for the shredding and gave the altered piece a new name, 'Love is in the Bin'. Sotheby's said it was "the first work in history ever created during a live auction." The half-shredded painting was reported to have been sold for $25.4 million in 2021.
His girl has moved into several locations worldwide, including Waterloo Bridge and other sites around London, a mural on the West Bank barrier, and another in Bethlehem. In March 2014, the third anniversary of the Syrian conflict, Banksy reworked the painting to depict a Syrian refugee and added the hashtag #WithSyria. He has had the girl projected on the Eiffel Tower and Nelson's Column.
The artist has dealt with various political and social themes, a lot of 'anti' like anti-consumerism, anti-war, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, anti-authoritarianism, anarchism, nihilism, and existentialism. Additionally, his works commonly critique the components of the human condition, an extended list of the Seven deadly sins, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride and Lust, completed with his ban on war, injustice, poverty, hypocrisy, boredom, despair, absurdity, and alienation, but always support love, which is no sin at all. It is a long list. I feel like a kindred spirit and will continue my work as I have done for the last fifteen years.
Banksy has donated several works to promote various causes. He has privately funded a rescue boat to save refugees at risk in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship has been painted pink, with the young girl holding a heart-shaped safety float. Banksy is worth all support.
The piglet may look small and helpless, but she is smart and should not be underestimated. A rightly used balloon is a mighty weapon and a symbol of freedom. Pigsy knows that. Letting the words free and sail away means more people get the message. Like rings on the water, she will forward her expressions of love after throwing a stone. She is not religious but agrees with the Dalai Lama that love is the only way to defeat all deadly sins. It's common sense, actually.
O blind cupidity and insane anger,
which goad us on so much in our short life,
then steep us in such grief eternally!
It is late this year to celebrate World Theatre Day. It was already on 27 March, but if you are on Hydra, you can honour it daily in the port.
Jörgen Thornberg
Malmö
Lite om bilder och mig. Translation in English at the end.
Jag är en nyfiken person som ser allt i bilder, även det jag fäster i ord, gärna tillsammans för bakom alla mina bilder finns en berättelse. Till vissa bilder hör en kortare eller längre novell som följer med bilden.
Bilder berättar historier. Jag omges av naturlig skönhet, intressanta människor och historia var jag än går. Jag använder min kamera för att dokumentera världen och blanda det jag ser med vad jag känner för att fånga den dolda magin.
Mina bilder berättar mina historier. Genom mina bilder, tryck och berättelser. Jag bjuder in dig att ta del av dessa berättelser, in i ditt liv och hem och dela min mycket personliga syn på vår värld. Mer än vad ögat ser. Jag tänker i bilder, drömmer och skriver och pratar om dem; följaktligen måste jag också skapa bilder. De blir vad jag ser, inte nödvändigtvis begränsade till verkligheten. Det finns en bild runt varje hörn. Jag hoppas att du kommer att se vad jag såg och gilla det.
Jag är också en skrivande person och till många bilder hör en kortare eller längre essay. Den följer med tavlan, tryckt på fint papper och med en personlig hälsning från mig.
Flertalet bilder startar sin resa i min kamera. Enkelt förklarat beskriver jag bilden jag ser i mitt inre, upplevd eller fantiserad. Bilden uppstår inom mig redan innan jag fått okularet till ögat. På bråkdelen av ett ögonblick ser jag vad jag vill ha och vad som kan göras med bilden. Här skall jag stoppa in en giraff, stålmannen, Titanic eller vad det är min fantasi finner ut. Ännu märkligare är att jag kommer ihåg minnesbilden långt efteråt när det blir tid att skapa verket. Om jag lyckas eller inte, är upp till betraktaren, oftast präglat av en stråk av svart humor – meningen är att man skall bli underhållen. Mina bilder blir ofta en snackis där de hänger.
Jag föredrar bilder som förmedlar ett budskap i flera lager. Vid första anblicken fylld av feel-good, en vacker utsikt, fint väder, solen skiner, blommor på ängen eller vattnet som ligger förrädiskt spegelblankt. I en sådan bild kan jag gömma min egentliga berättelse, mitt förakt för förtryckare och våldsverkare, rasister och fördomsfulla människor - ett gärna återkommande motiv mer eller mindre dolt i det vackra motivet. Jag försöker förena dem i ett gemensamt narrativ.
Bild och formgivning har löpt som en röd tråd genom livet. Fotokonst känns som en värdig final som jag gärna delar med mig.
Min genre är vid som framgår av mina bilder, temat en blandning av pop- och gatukonst i kollage som kan bestå av hundratals lager. Vissa bilder kan ta veckor, andra någon dag innan det är dags att överlämna resultatet till printverkstaden. Fine Art Prints är digitala fotocollage. I dessa kollage sker rivandet, klippandet, pusslandet, målandet, ritandet och sprayningen digitalt. Det jag monterar in kan vara hundratals år gamla bilder som jag omsorgsfullt frilägger så att de ser ut att vara en del av tavlan men också bilder skapade av mig själv efter min egen fantasi. Därefter besöks printstudion och för vissa bilder numrera en limiterad upplaga (oftast 7 exemplar) och signera för hand. Vissa bilder kan köpas i olika format. Det är bara att fråga efter vilka. Gillar man en bild som är 70x100 men inte har plats på väggen, går den kanske att få i 50x70 cm istället. Frågan är fri.
Metoden Giclée eller Fine Art Print som det också kallas är det moderna sättet för framställning av grafisk konst. Villkoret för denna typ av utskrifter är att en högkvalitativ storformatskrivare används med åldersbeständigt färgpigment och konstnärspapper eller i förekommande fall på duk. Pappret som används möter de krav på livslängd som ställs av museer och gallerier. Normalt säljer jag mina bilder oinramade så att den nya ägaren själv kan bestämma hur de skall se ut, med eller utan passepartout färg på ram, med eller utan glas etc..
Under många år ställde jag bara ut på nätet, i valda grupper och på min egen Facebooksida - https://www.facebook.com/jorgen.thornberg.9
Jag finns också på en egen hemsida som tyvärr inte alltid är uppdaterad – https://www.jth.life/ Där kan du också läsa en del av de berättelser som följer med bilden.
UTSTÄLLNINGAR
Luftkastellet, oktober 2022
Konst i Lund, november 2022
Luftkastellet, mars 2023
Engleson Galleri Caroli, april 2023
Hydra, Greece June 2023
Engleson Galleri Caroli, oktober 2023
Toppen, Höllviken december 2023
Luftkastellet, mars 2024
Torups Galleri, mars 2024
Venice, May 2024
Luftkastellet, oktober 2024
Konst i Advent, December 2024
Galleri Engleson, Caroli December 2024
Jäger & Jansson Galleri, april 2025
A bit about pictures and me.
I'm a curious person who sees everything in pictures, even what I express in words, often combining them, for behind all my pictures lies a story. These narratives, some as short as a single image and others as long as a novel, are the heart and soul of my work.
Pictures tell stories. Wherever I go, I'm surrounded by natural beauty, exciting people, and history. I use my camera to document the world and blend what I see with what I feel to capture the hidden magic.
My images tell my stories. Through my pictures, prints, and narratives, I invite you to partake in these stories in your life and home and share my deeply personal perspective of our world. More than meets the eye. I think in pictures, dream, write, and talk about them; consequently, I must create images too. They become what I see, not necessarily confined to reality. There's a picture around every corner. I hope you'll see what I saw and enjoy it.
I'm also a writer, and many images come with a shorter or longer essay. It accompanies the painting, printed on fine paper with my personal greeting.
Many pictures start their journey on my camera. Simply put, I describe the image I see in my mind, experienced or imagined. The image arises within me even before I bring the eyepiece to my eye. In a fraction of a moment, I see what I want and what can be done with the picture. Here, I'll insert a giraffe, Superman, the Titanic, or whatever my imagination conjures up. Even stranger is that I remember the mental image long after it's time to create the work. Whether I succeed is up to the observer, often imbued with a streak of black humour – the aim is to entertain. My pictures usually become a talking point wherever they hang.
I prefer pictures that convey a message in multiple layers. At first glance, they're filled with feel-good vibes, a beautiful view, lovely weather, the sun shining, flowers in the meadow, or the water lying deceptively calm. But beneath this surface beauty, I often conceal a deeper story, a narrative that challenges societal norms or explores the human condition. I invite you to delve into these hidden narratives and discover the layers of meaning within my work.
Picture and design have been a thread running through my life. Photographic art feels like a fitting finale, and I'm happy to share it.
My genre is varied, as seen in my pictures; the theme is a blend of pop and street art in collages that can consist of hundreds of layers. Some images can take weeks, others just a day before it's time to hand over the result to the print workshop. Fine Art Prints are digital photo collages. In these collages, tearing, cutting, puzzling, painting, drawing, and spraying happen digitally. What I insert can be images hundreds of years old that I carefully extract so they appear to be part of the painting, but also images created by myself, now also generated from my imagination. Next, visit the print studio and, for certain images, number a limited edition (usually 7 copies) and sign them by hand. Some images may be available in other formats. Just ask which ones. If you like an image that's 70x100 but doesn't have space on the wall, you might be able to get it in 50x70 cm instead. The question is open.
The Giclée method, or Fine Art Print as it's also called, is the modern way of producing graphic art. This method ensures the highest quality and longevity of the artwork, using a high-quality large-format printer with archival pigment inks and artist paper or, in some cases, canvas. The paper used meets the longevity requirements set by museums and galleries. I sell my pictures unframed, allowing the new owner to personalise their artwork, confident in the lasting value and quality of the piece.
For many years, I only exhibited online, in selected groups, and on my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/jorgen.thornberg.9. I also have my website, which unfortunately is not constantly updated - https://www.jth.life/. You can also read some of the stories accompanying the pictures there.
EXHIBITIONS
Luftkastellet, October 2022
Art in Lund, November 2022
Luftkastellet, March 2023
Engleson Gallery Caroli, April 2023
Hydra, Greece June 2023
Engleson Gallery Caroli, October 2023
Toppen, Höllviken December 2023
Luftkastellet, March 2024
Torup Gallery, March 2024
Venice, May 2024
UTSTÄLLNINGAR
Luftkastellet, oktober 2022
Konst i Lund, november 2022
Luftkastellet, mars 2023
Engleson Galleri Caroli, april 2023
Hydra, Greece June 2023
Engleson Galleri Caroli, oktober 2023
Toppen, Höllviken december 2023
Luftkastellet, mars 2024
Torups Galleri, mars 2024
Venice, May 2024
Luftkastellet, October 2024
Konst i Advent, December 2024
Galleri Engleson, Caroli December 2024
Jäger & Jansson Galleri, April 2025
Utbildning
Autodidakt
Medlem i konstnärsförening
Öppna Sinnen
Med i konstrunda
Konstrundan i Skåne
Utställningar
Luftkastellet, October 2022
Art in Lund, November 2022
Luftkastellet, March 2023
Engleson Gallery Caroli, April 2023
Hydra, Greece June 2023
Engleson Gallery Caroli, October 2023
Toppen, Höllviken December 2023
Luftkastellet, March 2024
Torup Gallery, March 2024
Venice, May 2024