Visions from the North: Burgh House, New End Square, Hampstead, London NW3

This winter is a ‘Vargavinter’- a ‘wolf winter’ in Scandinavia and Finland, meaning a particularly cold, harsh season.  ‘Visions from the North’ celebrates the special colours and mood of the Nordic countries with a particular focus on artists’ interpretation of winter.  The winter months in the Northern climes are long, dark and severe but also stunningly beautiful with glistening snow, forest, frozen lakes and a unique light during the few daylight hours.  Finnish-British artist Alex Gough exquisitely captures the vibrant blue light found during the twilight hours near the Arctic Circle.  Paavo Stenius’s colourful oil paintings encapsulate the wintery light and array of reflective colours often found in the snow.

The sculptures are by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir, one of Iceland’s leading artists, whose androgynous figures, often vulnerable and exposed, can be found in public spaces across the island as well as in many international collections. 

The late nineteenth century Symbolist artist Hugo Simberg saw symbolic and mystical elements in nature.  He was a brilliant graphic artist and his etchings  (the plates of which are now in the Ateneum, Finland’s National Gallery) capture everyday life, nature and fantasy.

There are also some humorous, light-hearted works such as graffiti artist Iron’s humorous take on the rebellious Swedish literary character Pippi Longstocking and limited edition prints by Gösta Adrian-Nilsson illustrating the story ‘The three little sailors’ adventures in Paris,’ originally sent to his godchildren back home in Sweden, while he was living in France.