Ingela Johansson (b. 1959, Tibro) is a Swedish painter whose work delves deep into the beauty and significance of everyday objects. Residing and working between Stockholm and Ockelbo, Johansson’s artistic career is rooted in a profound exploration of still life and the layers of meaning inherent everyday objects. Her art reflects a reverence for objects that are imperfect, chipped, or worn, seeing their flaws as testaments to their individuality and history.
Johansson's work aligns with a Western pictorial tradition that spans movements such as New Objectivity, Bauhaus, and the Russian Constructivists, while also drawing connections to ancient still life frescoes. Her pieces, however, deviate from both the formalized arrangements of 17th-century still lifes and the order imposed by Cézanne. Instead, Johansson invites viewers to contemplate objects in their most authentic states, where cracks, scratches, and imperfections are celebrated as markers of life.
As art critic Peter Cornell describes, Johansson’s objects, imbued with personal memories and emotions, represent coded messages—like diaries or farewell letters inscribed in paint rather than words.
Johansson received her formal education at Konsthögskolan Valand (BFA, 1989) and the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (MFA, 1994). Over the years, she has held numerous solo exhibitions at prominent galleries and institutions, including Galleri PS, Konstakademin, Bergdala and Konstgalleri. Johansson has also been represented in public and private collections, with one of her paintings currently on display at the Swedish Residence in Washington, D.C..
Her artistic achievements have been recognized with several awards, including the Beckers Art Award and the Tore A. Jonasson Art Stipend, among others. She is represented in major collections, such as the Moderna Museet, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Skövde Konstmuseum, and several regional and municipal collections across Sweden.