Marchéllo

Marchéllo’s paintings are thoughtful, beautiful, powerful and affecting. His paintings are essentially documents of a release of emotion, a common project for many artists, yet it is the quality of his painting that sets Marchéllo apart. Each work is rendered in layer upon layer of vibrant oils, the texture built up and worked with patient discipline. Marchéllo’s landscape studies are either deep and moody or optimistic, and achingly close to the abstract – they seem to be about the search for the perfect painting. His head studies are arresting, emotional and inspiring: they might reference the introspective consideration of Alexej Jawlensky's Meditation series, had Marchéllo been aware of Jawlensky's work.

Marchéllo (1946-2022) was born Per-Olof Stenblock in Udevalla, Sweden. A deeply religious man, his boyhood dream was to become the conductor of a great orchestra – a passionate interest in music still remains. His parallel interest in painting won and, self-taught, he painted intensely for little reward through many desperate times until the mid-1980s when his talent was finally recognised. His painting wards off the demons; he struggled during his life with addiction issues, acute depression and schizophrenia, but the creative drive within him was constant. This astonishing and overpowering muse stems from his need to find an answer: the answer. It “becomes a scream in every painting”.

Marchéllo lived and worked in Sweden, where there have been many exhibitions of his work. The landscape in Suåne (the South of Sweden) and the wild and barren West coast with its strange flowers and colours provides a contemplative, lonely atmosphere which suits his plain expression, free from any distracting considerations.

Untitled (Landscape Variation) - Marchéllo

Untitled (Landscape Variation) - Marchéllo
Untitled (Reflection series) - Marchéllo

Untitled (Reflection series) - Marchéllo

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