“At that time [during the Sixites] we had this idea: we wanted to make the world better, peaceful, with the help of patterns, vibrant colours and music. It was a mistaken interpretation”. This quote clarifies the title chosen for the exhibition, Den stora missuppfattningen (The big misconception), showing De Geer’s work from the Sixties to the early 2000’s and serves as an explanation of his work. Inspired by William Morris‘ patterns and Medieval wall- and floortiles, the artist/ designer/ writer/ filmmaker/ photographer is also influenced by pop culture and Oriental art.
Where De Geer uses an iconic symbol, like in the revised version of Edvard Munch‘s The Scream (1893), I perceive the echo of Andy Warhol‘s Maos and Marilyns. Red and yellow dinosaurs remind me of Keith Haring‘s and Basquiat‘s graffiti art. And the curvy dragons (Drakar – mid 60’s) are a clear reference to the Far-East culture – and to The Blue Lotus Tin Tin’s album, as affirmed by De Geer himself.
Den stora missuppfattningen has been for me an amazing path into the world of textile design. And I continue to love art because it is still able to surprise me, from time to time. This was one of those times.