Kristina Søbstad – Rushing Through Me

Christina Parker Gallery is pleased to announce Rushing Through Me, a series of new multimedia paintings on canvas by Kristina Søbstad. This marks Kristina’s second solo exhibition with the gallery.

I am drawn to the relationship between humans and their surroundings. It is well documented that humans shape the environment they live in but I feel that the environment can equally shape us. Being aware of our natural surroundings as living, breathing, beings is at the core of my new work.

Exploring remote locations that are exposed to the elements is where Søbstad finds inspiration for her paintings. Fragments of her everyday life encompass constant change, adventure, curiosity, and the desire to not only experience the natural places we inhabit, but the individuals and the relationships that are built as we encounter each other. Søbstad’s response to her chosen location is visceral and intuitive. It is important for her to remain open without preconceived ideas to become one with the environment that she is placing herself in.

In creating this new work I am reminded of an experience that I encountered around midsummer’s eve at Middle Cove Beach. Old friends and new friends were gathered for a bonfire and dinner. It was a very dark evening, the ocean sounded and smelled incredible. A young girl who was part of the group came running up from the beach and said “hey the waves are glowing” …of course everyone’s ears peaked and we gathered at the water’s edge to witness the most incredible bioluminescent plankton…the waves glittered and glowed. It was pure magic!

Rushing Through Me, are recent paintings created over the last six months. The state of the world right now, in this very strange time of isolation and distance subconsciously influenced the work… I wasn’t actively thinking of this while painting but just something on my mind.

Kristina Elise Øvrevoll Søbstad is a Canadian-Norwegian visual artist currently based between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada. Søbstad earned a BFA from NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2010.

Since 2007, Søbstad has participated in over 175 international group and solo exhibitions. Most recently, Søbstad completed a residency and exhibition with the Museum of Modern Art in Chiloe, Chile which was funded by ArtsNL. In 2019, her painting, Unbound IV, was purchased by the Canada Council Art Bank for the permanent collection in Ottawa. Prior to this, her dynamic piece, They Must Be Wild, was purchased by the Provincial Art Bank of Newfoundland and Labrador and is on view in the provincial public collection in St. John’s, NL.  In 2015, Søbstad’s work was purchased by the Paris Francophilie Art Bank while exhibiting in Paris. Her work has since been featured on the cover of the international bestselling academic book, ‘Reaching Through Resistance’ by Dr. Allan Abbass.  

To download the exhibition visual catalogue click here

To download the artist’s CV click here

For any inquiries please contact the gallery by phone at 709-753-0580 or by email cpg@nfld.net