Roland Kempe 1907-1991

Carl Roland Kempe was born in Borås, southern Sweden on 13th August 1907. He was a Swedish artist.

Kempe studied under the Swedish painter Helge Zandén (1886-1972) in Borås before attending the Konstakademien (Academy of Fine Arts), Stockholm (1925-1930) and (in 1926) the Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi, Paris. Kemp travelled to Spain (1932) and the UK (1936-1939). After the Second World War, Kempe travelled extensively around Europe (1946-1949), Egypt (1950) and Mexico and USA (1954).

Kempe’s first exhibition was at Borgström's bookstore, Borås (1922) when he was 15 years old. Kempe exhibited extensively from 1936. Notable exhibitions include Konstnärshuset (Artists’ House), Stockholm (1936); Galerie Moderne, Stockholm (1941); Linköpings Museum (1942); Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, Stockholm (1945); Galleri Aveny, Gothenburg and Galerie Nationale, Lucerne (1949), Gummesons Konstgalleri, Stockholm (1950), Borås konsthall (1951), Galerie Blanche, Stockholm (1953) - for which a fully illustrated catalogue 'Rowland Kempe. Paintings and Drawings 1950-1953' was produced (in English) with the preface by Hans Eklund; Galerie Artek, Helsinki (1954) and Galerie Blanche, Stockholm, again in 1959. Group exhibitions include Göteborgs Konsthall (1938); Gummesons Konstgalleri, Stockholm (1949) and 'Unga Konst’, Göteborgs Konstförening (1952).

Internationally, Kempe exhibited with Nordsika Konstnärers (Nordsika Artists Association), Oslo (1947); at an exhibition organised by UNESCO at the Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris (1948), 'International Pictures Biennale', Carnigie Institute, Pittsburgh, USA (1950 and 1952); Lübeck, Germany (1952); New York and Berlin (1953) and 'Junge Schewedische kunst’, Stuttgart (1954).

Kempe was part of the (1943-1953) Saltsjö-Duvnäskretsen (Saltsjö-Duvnä District) artist group. Other members include Olle Nyman (1909-1999), Evert Lundquist (1904-1994) and Staffan Hallström (1914-1976).

Examples of this works are held in the collections of the National Museum and the Moderna Museet (Museum of Modern Art), Stockholm; Gothenburg Art Museum and Malmö Museum; L'Institut Tessin, Paris; Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), New York (‘The Ray’, 1949, Lithograph / Object No. 107.1954); The Brooklyn Museum, New York City as well as galleries and museums in Athens, Moscow, Beijing, Brazil and Madrid.

Rowland Kempe died in Stockholm in 1991, aged 83


‘Konstnären Roland Kempe’ shows footage of Rowland Kemp as he is interviewed by Ragnad von Holter and Jan Hjorth (Produced by Riksutställningar). It can be viewed Here

Roland Kempe