Deux têtes

The Deux têtes tapestry reflects the powerful visual language of Swedish artist Bengt Lindström, whose work is closely associated with the expressive tradition that emerged in postwar Europe. Born in 1925, Lindström spent much of his career in France while maintaining strong connections to Scandinavian culture and mythology. His paintings are known for their bold color, exaggerated forms, and intense emotional presence, drawing inspiration from Nordic folklore, shamanic imagery, and the raw psychological energy of the human face.

In Deux têtes, two monumental heads dominate the composition, confronting the viewer with distorted features and vivid color. These figures are not intended as portraits but as expressive masks, built from thick outlines and fields of saturated pigment. The large eyes and open forms suggest a mixture of humor, intensity, and primal emotion, characteristic of Lindström’s approach to figurative abstraction. The visual impact comes from the collision of colors—reds, blues, yellows, and whites—that create a sense of movement and tension across the surface.

Handwoven in wool by Atelier 3 in Paris, the tapestry translates Lindström’s energetic brushwork into a richly textured medium. The workshop’s approach allows subtle shifts in density and tone to recreate the painterly vitality of the original design. The woven surface captures the bold structure of the composition while introducing depth and tactile richness through the fibers.

With its wide horizontal format and striking scale, the Deux têtes tapestry presents Lindström’s expressive imagery with architectural presence. The composition commands attention, transforming the wall into a field of color and gesture that reflects the artist’s distinctive contribution to late twentieth-century European painting.