Bo Åke Adamsson
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| "Flamenco" Oil on canvas, 75x50 cm |
Bo Åke Adamsson’s interest in painting was early and as soon as opportunity arose, he painted. At his tenth birthday he got his first oil paints and with those he tested his way and he always tried to learn new techniques. Sights on becoming a professional artist was awakened very early and at the age of twelve he received the task at school in a Swedish sample write an essay with the topic "What I'm going to be when I'm grown-up". Bo Åke's essay consisted of only a word, namely: Artist. As first in his class, he submitted his test and asked for some additional pages at once filled with drawings.
Early 1960s he was accepted to Konstfack (Art academy) in Stockholm where he studied for a semester. His father did not appreciate his son's choice, but really thought that Bo Åke would invest in vocational training. Studies at Konstfack traded for studies in illustration and advertising.
1963, Bo Åke Adamsson was accepted to Real Academia de Bellas Artes in Barcelona. This would be one of Bo Åke's most difficult choices in his life. His studies in Sweden were almost completed and would he give up a relatively secure career against the uncertainty as an artist? His father was clear and did not want to support his son. Bo Åke said that he would leave Sweden for studies in Barcelona. Father replied that he would not succeed and come back soon. Had his father supported him Bo Åke probably had come back relatively soon, but he would not give his father the right and he held stubbornly to remain in Barcelona throughout five years. The time in Spain was a heavy from an economic perspective with a series of odd jobs to finance his studies. However, it was during this time that Bo Åke's art evolved. He had, for example, his works exhibited in a gallery with more or less known contemporary Spanish artists such as Picasso and Miró.
Bo Åke quickly developed and managed eventually to living from his painting. The number of exhibitions became more expressive and his creations were seen on an increasing number of galleries throughout Spain. Dictator Franco should have said when he visited one of Bo Åke shows that "... as long as they only make revolution in their paintings, they are harmless". The political situation in Spain during this period made it difficult for the spread of the freedom of art. This also got to see Bo Åke. His illustrations from the poetry of the poet José Aguilera Hinjo had written. For this Bo Åke was called to being interviewed by the police. The poet, however disappeared. Later Bo Åke was convicted in a trial for a traffic accident in which the mayor's son in law was involved. The mayor’s son was actually the guilty part but it was Adamsson who where convicted with heavy fines and imprisonment. Bo Åke Adamsson chose to immediately flee Spain.
Back home in Sweden Bo Åke continued with his expressionistic idiom which originally was not so easy when his style was something new for the Swedish public. Fortunately, the arts in Sweden during this time were rich in variation and steadily increasing interest in Adamsson’s paintings. Bo Åke also resumed the art of working with graphics. Something he learned in Barcelona where he had Picasso printmaker as a teacher.
Ever since his return to Sweden, Bo Åke Adamsson has exhibited in many galleries throughout Sweden but also abroad such as New York and in most of the European capitals. While art critics have appreciated Adamsson's paintings Ulf Liljedahl wrote for example in the Upsala Nya Tidning in 1972 that he was"... art-historically far sighted and technically brilliant"
