REBECKA TOLLENS

Born 1990

"Drawing is the very core and a constant companion in my artistic practice. I use charcoal and graphite to explore the intersection between reality and the subconscious, where memories and dreams are combined in concrete form. Over the years, I have developed a more complex approach, in which I challenge the apparently simple conditions that the medium involves by stretching the technical boundaries of the work’s foundations.

The blackness of charcoal and its ability to reflect light creates a dynamic unlike any other medium. Its uncontrollable nature makes for a tantalising process, while working with my hands creates an intimate connection between me and the material. This approach makes drawing more than just a technique – it becomes a place of constant motion, where each work can explore the suggestive and the unspoken in a comprehensible manner. I am particularly grateful for this medium which has allowed me to realise my ideas for so long, and I look forward to continuing to explore life through drawing for as long as my hands allow me to.."

Master’s degree in illustration/fine art, 2015, École de Condé, Paris

Portrait, photo Felix Berg

REBECKA TOLLENS

Rebecka Tollen participates in the scholarship competition and exhibition with five drawings created 2022–2025.

Charcoal and graphite on etching paper and plywood.

1. The bleeding trees
2. Escargot 4-Ever
3. In my blood, life is cradled
4. Le jour
5. Les pivoines murmurent ton nom


Click on the artworks in the slideshow to see full images, or scroll down. It can take a little while for the images to upload. Enlarge the drawings by choosing zoom or full page via the tool box by each image.

THE SELECTION COMMITTEE'S MOTIVATION:
Rebecka Tollen’s nuanced, skilful images appear to describe a strange everyday life from a time gone by. Her images are rich in contrasts, light phenomena and shadows, and seem to conceal something magical that we have never seen before, and yet somehow recognise. These are timeless images that suggest a forthcoming adventure.

The bleeding trees
Charcoal and graphite on etching paper, 2025. Original size 100x70 cm
Escargot 4-Ever
Charcoal and graphite on plywood, 2022. Original size 325x325 cm
In my blood, life is cradled
Charcoal and graphite on poplar plywood, 2024. Original size 200x122 cm
Le jour
Charcoal and graphite on etching paper, 2024. Original size 50x70 cm
Les pivoines murmurent ton nom
Charcoal and graphite on etching paper, 2023. Original size 80x40 cm