John Wipp 1927-2005

John Olov Wipp was born in Brännkyrka, southern Stockholm on 31st October 1927. He was a Swedish painter, draftsman and printmaker.

Wipp's father, Anders Wipp was a bricklayer. His mother, Kristina Samuellson, died when Wipp and his twin brother Erik were seven years old. Erik Wipp (1927-2005) was a photographer

John Olov Wipp was born in Brännkyrka, southern Stockholm on 31st October 1927. He was a Swedish painter, draftsman and printmaker.

Wipp's father, Anders Wipp was a bricklayer. His mother, Kristina Samuellson, died when Wipp and his twin brother Erik were seven years old. Erik Wipp (1927-2005) was a photographer

Wipp first attended evening classes at the of the College of Arts and Crafts (Konstfack), Stockholm (1946). The following year Wipp went on a study tour to England and on his return (in 1948) exhibited at the Vårsalongen (Spring Salon) held at Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm.

After completing his military service, Wipp returned to the Konstfack (1950-1952) where he studied under the Swedish painter and designer Tor Hörlin (1899-1985). While a student, Wipp exhibited at the Vasterbotten Art Union in Umeå (1950) and again at Liljevalchs Konsthall (1950 and 1952). In 1953 Wipp was awarded a scolarship and studied for a year at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. During the Spring of 1959 Wipp attended The Slade in London.

In 1960, Wipp married Anne Hélène Isabel de Laval and they moved to Ludd. From 1964 until 1968 Wipp was a lecturer at Lund Technical University's Architecture department. In 1968 he was appointed (acting) Professor of painting at the Royal College of Art (Konsthögskolan) in Stockholm. Wipp returned to Lund Technical University in 1971 where he remained until he retired from teaching in 1977.

Wipp exhibited extensively throughout his life. Most notably at Galleri God, Gothenburg; as part of Galerie Colibri's 'Ny Generation II' (New Generation II), Malmö (1956) and with the Nordiska Konstforbundet (Nordic Art Union) in Gothenburg (1957). His solo exhibitions include Malmo Museum (1958); Skissernas Museum, Lund University (1960 and 1972); Lilla Galleriet, Stockholm (1962); Jonköping Museum with the Swedish sculptor Berto Marklund (1963); Bollnäs Konstcentrum (1965); the prestigious Galleri Gummesons, Stockholm (1965); Norrköpings Konstmuseum, with Karl-Einar Andersson and Sten Dunér (1965); Gallery Observatorium, Stockholm (1966), Galerie Leger, Malmo and Gothenburg (1967); Konstframjandet, Malmo and Galerie Doktor Glas, Stockholm (1972); Göteborgs Konsthall and Ystads Konstmuseum (1983) and the Royal Academy of Art (Konstakademien), Stockholm (1998)

Wipp's first Retrospective was held at Lunds Konsthall in 1975. His second, 'Vagen till vaggen' (The Way to the Wall) was held at the Skissernas Museum (Museum of Decorative Arts) in Lund in 1996. Three months after Wipp died (in 2005) he was honoured with a major exhibition at the Tomarps Kungsgård Castle, near Åstorp in southern Sweden.

Examples of Wipp's work are held in the collections of the Moderna Museet and National Museum, Stockholm; the Malmö, Göteborgs and Norrköpings MuseumS and the Skissernas Museum, Lund.

John Wipp died in Lund on 1st of June 2005, aged 77.

John Wipp