Spotlight on Swedish artist, Hellen Soderberg
Immigrants from all over the world come to Taiwan, where they find work, build homes, and contribute to making the island so special. In Today’s installment of “An Immigrant Story,” we meet Hellen Soderberg, an abstract artist from Sweden. FTV reporter Stephany Yang sits down with Soderberg to learn about her works.
She introduces her artworks on the wall. This is Hellen Soderberg, a Swedish artist who has been living in Taiwan since 2005. Helen began abstract acrylic painting in 2020. She taught herself how to paint through experimenting and watching tutorials. She said her paintings are greatly inspired by Taiwan’s architecture and people.
Hellen Soderberg
Artist
For inspiration with the abstract art, it’s a lot about Taiwan, being out in the community and seeing. I love the rough facade, and the rustic, the old. I find beauty in all of that. If you see my abstract art, that is what i’m doing. The rough textured style.
Before moving to Taiwan, Soderberg was a children’s TV show host and scriptwriter in Sweden. She later moved to Taiwan in 2005 with her husband and daughter. She originally planned to only spend a year in Taiwan, but quickly fell in love with the country, and has been living here for 17 years.
Hellen Soderberg
Artist
Taiwan. I love the people. They’re so friendly and it’s so safe. The weather is nice. Food is of course really good. It’s Taiwan, what’s not to like about Taiwan?
In her first few years of living in Taiwan, she sold craft supplies online. She later began making scrapbooks, handcrafted jewelry, and also taught creative workshops. In November 2021, she created an art program called Lutetia ART-at-TAC at a coffee shop in Taipei, which provides an exhibition space for artists to exhibit their creative works.
Hellen Soderberg
Artist
ART-at-TAC first started with me coming to Cedric, who owns this coffee shop, asking if me and a friend could display art here for a month. He was just like, "of course." When that was done, Cedric said that he loved having art up because he has it before, but not on a regular basis. I said I can help you find people because I know a lot of people who are creative in many differnt mediums. He was just like, "Yeah, okay that would be great." Then, Cedric said, "Would you mind running it”? I was like, "OK." Since then, I’ve been doing all the advertising and work to find the artists, curate, and look at the art.
So far, Art-at-TAC has showcased works by 26 artists through monthly exhibitions. It is free for artists to exhibit and sell their works, but artists are asked to donate 10% of the sales to a local charity of their choice.
Hellen Soderberg
Artist
I just love doing this and then especially coming in when we are doing the display and hanging because we do that during the day. Seeing the kids come in and people being of awe at the art we put up on the walls. It’s pretty cool to see their reactions beause otherwise they might not be exposed to this kind of art. I’m hoping this will continue. I plan to be and hope to be in Taiwan forever.
Soderberg hopes to continue to provide a platform for artists and share the beauty of Taiwan to more people.
2022-09-29