"Bess Frimodig is a traveler, a wanderer of the world of different cultures, religions and languages. Her early dislocation from her home country, Sweden, to study printmaking in Japan was determinant in opening a window to Eastern thought, printmaking and poetry. This is filtered in her diaries, poems and etchings.

Her obsessive nature and persistent search for an intimate emotional and aesthetic experience often times has taken her in her travels the shape of spontaneous, on-the-run notebooks of writings and etchings, only to at still times transform the material into a process of painfully slow printmaking and densely collaged books combined with writing. Her subtlety and preoccupation with inner life is a fusion of sensibility and imagination, and it comes along with her engagement with the outside political and social world events.”

Mercedes Vicente, Curator, Kentler International Drawing Space, New York City 2003.

I work internationally with a focused practice of printmaking and social engagement through collaborative projects. The practice combines exploring transformation through the arts alongside with wider notions of dialogue, audience participation and cultural democracy with lecturing and writing.

ACADEMIC Papers and Conference
2009 Arts in Society, Venice, Italy Hidden Impact, Bristol, UK

2008 Pauza Foundation and European Sociological Association, ‘Performing biographies and the art of interpretation conference, Cracow, Poland

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
2006 - present PhD candidate 'An Honourable Practice - Printmaking and Social engagement'
Centre for Fine Arts Print Research, University of West England, Bristol

2004 - Certificate in teaching in Higher Education, London Metropolitan University
2001 - MA Typographic Design, London College of Communication, UAL, London
1992 - MFA Visual Journalism through Narrative, School of Visual Arts, NYC, US
1990 - Diploma in Fine Arts, Foundation Studies, Open University, Malmo, Sweden.
1989 - BFA Design, University of Kansas, USA.    


LECTURER     
2004 – present University of the Arts, London College of Communication, London, UK
2003 – present School of Humanities, Arts and Languages, London Metropolitan University, London, UK   


AWARDS, GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
19 scholarships and research grants in visual arts and humanities studies including: The Clerkenwell Green Association Business Support grant 2002 and London Arts Agency Ad Hoc grant 2004, 2009 Winner of Brent’s Wall of Resistance community art project awarded by the Mayor of Brent and Chair of BHMD planning committee.

Permanent collection Library of Alexandria, Egypt


HONOURS
18 scholarships and research grants in visual arts and humanities studies including
The Clerkenwell Green Association Business Support grant 2002 and London Arts Agency Ad Hoc grant 2004
.

PUBLISHED
2008 'Art in Philosophy', Zidane Press, London
2005 ‘Artnavi’, What’s on – Japan, Japan
2004 ‘Innovate to Retain’ , UAL, UK
2002 ‘Signs of language’ The Hindu, India
1996 ‘End of the Floating World’, Raphael Fodde, Editions, NYC, US
1992 ‘The Shape of Tea’ , School of Visual Arts, US
1989 ‘Playfulness of Japanese Graphic Design’ , University of Kansas, US

EXHIBITIONS

Solo shows

2006 - Matthew Kay Gallery, The Love Shoe Show, London, UK
          Trapeze gallery, Collected prints, Bangalore, India

2005 - Kissho Gallery, These things of a poetic resonance,            Osaka, Japan
           Clerkenwell Green Association, What’s my            Clerkenwell, London, UK

Group shows

2010   Mamhoud Mokthar Museum , Miniature Graphics, Cairo,           Egypt

2009   Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, A-21, Kobe, Japan           Bibliotheca Alexandrina Arts Center, First Alexandria           Biennale for Miniature Graphics, Alexandria, Egypt           CASO Contemporary Art Space, A-21, Osaka, Japan           Valfisken, Simrishamn Prefectural Gallery, Magical           Usefulness, Simrishamn, Sweden
          Ministry of Culture N.I Museum Of Macedonia, 2009           Graphic Arts Triennale, Bistola, Macedonia
          Wrexham Arts Centre, Wrexham International Print           Show, Wales, UK
          Willesden Cultural Centre, The Wall, Wall of Resistance,           London, UK
          Lessedra Gallery, 8th World Art Print, Sofia, Bulgaria           Gallery Mittbrodt, Borgholm, Sweden
          Spike Island Print Studios, Hidden Impact On-site           installations, Bristol, UK
          Spitalfields Arts SAFE Studios, Art Cash & Carry, Bliss           Bits London, UK

2008  Balen Gebouw Gallery, Borders of Perception, Enschede,          Holland
         Federation Gallery, BIMPE International Print,          Vancouver, Canada
         Yamanaka-danni Gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan
         Candid Arts Trust, Art Cash & Carry, London, UK          Blackwell’s, UWE Miniprint, Bristol, UK,
         Willesden Cultural Centre, The Wall, The Puzzle Project,          London, UK
         Lessedra Gallery, World Art Print, Sofia, Bulgaria

2007  Spitalfields Arts SAFE Studios, Freedom, London ,UK
         The Art Club, Members’ show, London,UK
         London Print Studio, I love Print, London, UK
         Wrexham Arts Centre, Wrexham International Print          Show, Wales, UK
         Ogata Gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan
         Osaka Prefectural Gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan


2006  Mall Galleries, Pall Mall, Elephant proof, London, UK
         u:ni:pon2kau2 art project space, Puzzle project, Osaka,          Japan
         London Print Studio, Summer show, London, UK
         CASO Contemporary Art Space, A-21, Osaka, Japan


2005  Grafikens Hus, Gripsholms Castle, In the garden,          Mariefred, Sweden
         The RAC, Summer show, London, UK.
         Ofcom Showcase,The Ofcom Building, The Art of          Communication, London, UK

2004  CASO Contemporary Art Space, A-21, Osaka, Japan
         Coningsby’s Gallery, East meets West , London, UK
         Clerkenwell Green Association, Picture the Word,          London, UK

2003  Coningsby’s Gallery, Colour. London, UK

2002  OCAC Public gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan
         Uehon- machi gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan
         Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Colour and Cultural          Identities, London, UK in collaboration with the Lakereen          Gallery, Mumbai, India.
         Maru Gallery, A-21, Pusan, Korea

2001 A-21 gallery, A-21, Osaka, Japan.

2000 Delgado Gallery, New works, New Orleans, US.

1992 World Art Gallery, International Show, Seoul Korea.


ARTIST and RESCIDENCY

AKI with UWE  May 2008  Enschede, Holland.


REPRESENTED BY:

Sarita Sundar Gallery, India and A-21, Japan and Grafikens Hus, Sweden.

COLLECTIONS
Private and company collections in Europe, Asia and the USA,

Clients and collectors included Polhill Communication, Securitas,
Weidenfeld and Nicholson, Bonniers, Egmont, Peter Owen Publishers.

 
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