Also previous exhibitions at Galerie Bel'Art: 1987 and 1989.

BIOGRAPHY - CV

C O (Carl Otto) Hultén is born in 1916 in Malmö, and starts painting in 1935, starts the group Minotaur in 1942, which later becomes the fundament for Imaginisterna around 1945. This group later becomes part of Cobra.
CO Hultén's art do not only reflect The North, it is in it's deepest substance one with the North. By this i have said almost everything about him. 
He travels from time to time outside Scandinavia, to seek the postman Chevals castle in France, to meet an African fetish or an Serbian peasant. But he mostly travels from the North to the North. He participated in the Nordic group Cobra, which instead of collecting vegetables, united roots. 
Cobra was a promise, and Hultén meets this promise. Under the Cobra period 1948-1951 our friend C O played with the technique, most of all he invented 'imprimaget' , he limited and dug out his domain before he absorbed in it. Other painters in Cobra went through a similar development for instance the Dutchman Appel and the Belgian Alechinsky. He discovered that The North is not just a fable and neither just reality, but both fable and reality, and that the artistic way of expression is not just a mean but also a universe. Is cloth and paper allready the sky? Is the colour not allready a soil? Is ink a river - or a night? The trouble was in this way to get substance of the universal art to coincide with the Nordic reality-fable. How did Hultén succeed with this. Through a rare spontaneity, a seeking sponatneity that moves with thousands of various speeds, and looks like the Nordic way of thinking towards the language, while people from the south thinks from the language. The spontaneity that interests us is not the dashing elegance, but the strength that first swallows the technique and then bites. The fundamental reality-fable at Hultén appear to be the night, the night that despite the furniture factories is the most important speciality in Scandinavia, the night from where the light has to be pulled out in an endless love dispute. The North itself is a boundless drawing or rather a boundless engraving, which portray the birth of the night, life and death, from the icy beach to the spring forrest, from a village of small flakes, to a city of great lines, from a river full of stars to a sky full of lakes, from the dimness of midday, to the midnight sun. In the south the darkness and light changes with harmonious equality. In the North they fight, love each other and parts just to be mixed together again, from here to eternity. Hulténs works shows this story and this geography, these meetings, and these mixtures, and I most of all think of a new litograph, where you see the light explode the night without supressing it. Without supressing the night, without covering the changing excited, violent and vivid travel from night against light and without supressing the jump of spontanity, scratches and cracks towards the work. 

Hulténs art is cosmic that is why it is sincere. Christian Dotremont, 1962

1936     
Employed at Åkerlund & Rausing in Lund

1938     
Exhibition in his own studio

1940     
Exhibition in his own studio

1943     
Minotaur in the month of March, at the Town Hall in Malmö, together with Max Walter Svanberg, Endre Nemes, Adja Yunkers and Carl O Svensson

1944     
The conception of imaginism – imaginist, was coined by Stig Lindqvist

1945     
The Imaginist group, together with Max Walter Svanberg and Anders Österlin was formed

1945     
Marries Marianne Nilsson

1947     
Drömmar ur bladens händer, and Image publishing was founded

1947     
Travels to Paris, together with Anders Österlin, visit Palais Idéal

1947     
Gösta Kriland and Gudrun Åhlberg joins the Imaginist group

1948     
Exhibition at Skånes Art Association and Malmö Museum

1948     
One-man exhibition “Aura”, at Krognoshuset, Lund

1948 -51 
Joins the COBRA group

1949     
Motorbike journey to Andorra revisits Palais Idéal

1949     
COBRA – conference in Bregnerd north of Copenhagen. Collaboration with fellow COBRA painters. Loft paintings
1949     
Expo Aleby in Stockholm, arranged by Gösta Kriland and Wilhelm Freddie

1949     
Skånsk avantgardekonst in Malmö museum, with Bertil Gadö , Lars Engström, Bengt Orup, Anders Österlin and Max Walter Svanberg

1949     
God konst in Gothenburg, with Max Walter Svanberg

1949     
Participates in the exhibition Spiralen at Charlottenborg, Copenhagen

1949     
All världens konst, group exhibition, at Åkerlund & Rausing, Lund

1950     
Together with the COBRA-group at Le Louvier, Belgium

1950     
Stops working at Åkerlund & Rausing

1951     
Travels with Marianne to Spain

1951     
The Imaginist’s exhibits at Modern konst i hemmiljö, Stockholm

1951     
Exhibition at Skåne Art Society, Malmö

1951     
Executes together with Svanberg and Österlin mural paintings at Radiotjänst, Malmö

1951     
Nutida svensk grafik, at the National museum, Stockholm

1952     
Det unga måleriet, Galerie Blanche, Stockholm

1952     
Travels to Yugoslavia

1952     
The Imaginist’s exhibits at Malmö museum and Gothenburg Art Hall, with Victor Brauner, Wilfredo Lam, Carl Henning Pedersen and Zao Wu Ki

1953     
Ib Hultén is born

1953     
Participates in an exhibition with Skånsk grafik in Branner’s Bibliophile bookstore, Copenhagen

1953     
The Imaginist’s exhibits at Galerie de Babylon in Paris, the exhibition continues to Il Numero, Florence

1954    
Travel to Yugoslavia and Turkey with Stig Andersson

1954    
The Imaginist’s exhibits at Skånska Art Museum, Malmö

1954    
Bertil Lundberg joins the Imaginist Group

1956    
Galerie Colibri and the periodical Salamander

1955    
Participates in March, with Ung grafik, at Kulturen, Lund

1955    
Participates in Première confrontation d’art experimental, Paris

1955    
Participates in Paroles Visibles at Galerie La Roue, Paris

1955    
Participates in Phases at Galerie Proteo, Mexico City

1955    
Paintings in the doorways of the neighborhood Godheten, Malmö

1955    
Mural mosaic on the façade of the Institute for Color Prints, Lund

1956    
Divorce from Marianne

1956    
Proposals for the stairwell in Malmö’s town library, Dikten formar verkligheten, and proposals for a gable painting in Lund, Konst vid källan

1956    
Awarded the Trotzig – scholarship

1956    
Proposals for the adornment of the subway station Centralen, Stockholm

1956    
The Imaginist Group is dissolved

1956-57    
Teaches at the Essem School in Malmö

1957     
Participates in an International traveling exhibition in Bukunin, Tokyo and Osaka

1957     
Participates in Svensk Nutidskonst, in the newly opened Lunds Konsthall

1957     
Proposal for mobile-light-sculpture for the Domus department store, Malmö

1958     
Nordisk abstract kunst, Kunstnerernes Hus, Oslo

1958     
One-man show, Gummesons, Stockholm

1958     
One-man show, Malmö Museum

1958     
Winkel & Magnusen, Gammel Strand, Copenhagen

1958     
Mural painting, Malmö stadium

1958     
Is being awarded the Emil Breg scholarship

1959     
One-man show, Norrköping Konstmuseum and the Konsthallen in Gothenburg

1959     
Mural Samlade grupper, for the new County building, in Lund

1959     
Participates in Återblick, at Moderna Museet, Stockholm

1959     
Borås Art Association’s 25th- anniversary, Borås Museum

1959     
Nordisk kunst, arranged by Nordiska Art Association, Odense, Denmark

1959     
Participates in the exhibition of Skandinavisk konst, Lima, Peru

1960     
Enamel made for Lund municipality

1960     
Kunstnerernes Kunsthandel in Copenhagen

1960     
Participates in Eurokonst, at the Art Academy in Copenhagen

1960     
Moderna Museet, visits Louisiana, Denmark

1961     
Marries Birgitta Stenberg

1961    
The Pittsburgh International, USA

1961    
Le Ranelagh, in Paris together with amongst others, Fahlström, Reuterswärd and Österlin

1961    
Participates in Internationale Malerei, Wolframs Eschenbach, Germany

1961    
L’Art Suédois Actuel, Paris. Together with, among others Reuterswärd, Fahlström and Österlin

1961    
8 emaljemålare, a traveling exhibition

1961    
Together with Jørgen Haugen Sørensen, in the SDS-Hall, Malmö

1961    
Participates in Aspect 61, at Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm

1961    
Makes a movie about Palais Idéal

1962    
Galerie Leger, Malmö

1962    
COBRA et après, Galerie d’Aujourd’hui, Brussels

1962-63 
Traveling exhibition, USA, 12 Swedish Painters

1962    
Aktiv färg, Konsthallen, Lund

1963    
Galerie Pierre, Stockholm

1963    
Nordisk konst 1953-63, arranged by the Nordic Art Association, Helsinki

1963    
Participates in an exhibition at Den Frie, Copenhagen

1963    
African sculptures on show, among others from CO Hultén’s collection, at Lunds konsthall

1963    
Graphica, at Kulturen in Lund – CO Hultén is awarded the first prize

1964    
Gummesons, Stockholm

1964    
Svenskt 60-tal, Norrköping Konstmuseum

1966    
With Birgitta Stenberg Hultén, adornment of Rosengård

1965    
Le merveilleux moderne/Det underbara moderna, Lunds konsthall

1965    
Participates in Images Suédoises, Images of Sweden, Schwedische Bilder, Gröningen, Helsingborg

1965    
Authors choose art, Stockholm (Lars Forssell chose, Jorden är ett rum, by Hultén)
   
1965    
Ung mästarkonst, Skånska Konstmuseet, Lund

1965    
Enamel painting for the Pilevall School, Trelleborg

1965    
Proposal for gable painting in enamel, Mersch, Luxemburg

1965    
Galleri Leger’s summer exhibition, Malmö

1966    
Tre linjer i svenskt måleri, 1916-1966, Sveagalleriet, Stockholm, curator Rolf Söderberg

1966    
COBRA-exhibition, Louisiana

1966    
Participates in Tekst og tegn, Copenhagen

1967    
Imaginisterna, Skånska Konstmuseum

1967    
Människa nu, organized by Samfundet konstnärer i Skåne, Lunds Konsthall

1968    
Concrete element for the façade of Staffanstorp’s Municipal Hall

1968    
Participates in Erotic Art, at Lunds konsthall

1968    
Retrospective exhibition at Lunds konsthall, The Art Hall of Gothenburg and in 1969 at The Art Academy in Stockholm

1969    
Enamel painting, for TCO, Sturegatan, Stockholm

1969    
Söderslätt’s Art Association, in Trelleborg

1971    
Adornment of the housing area, Lindängen, together with Barbro Bäckström and Lennart Aschenbrenner, under
the name of COLABB

1971    
Is being awarded the Large Working Scholarship by the Government

1972    
Travel to West Africa together with Birgitta Stenberg

1973    
Suggestion for adornment of the main office of Sparbanken, in Malmö

1973-74 
Travel in West Africa together with LG Lundberg

1974    
Exhibits together with the COBRA-group in Brussels

1974    
Participates in Svensk nutidskonst, Mannheim, Germany

1974    
Svensk samtidsgrafik, Havanna, Cuba

1975    
Svensk samtidsgrafik, Mexico City

1976    
Grafik från Skåne, Stockholm

1976    
Dikt och bild, arranged by Art Promotion, Malmö

1976    
Galleri Glemminge

1976    
Osby Art Association

1976    
Art Forum, Norrköping

1977    
Svensk konst under 50 år, the County Museum of Jönköping

1977    
Grafiktriennalen, Gothenburg Art Museum

1977-78 
Fantasins frigörelse, Surrealismen I Svensk konst, traveling exhibition

1978    
Group show Akvarell och gouache 1978, Galleri Engström, Stockholm

1978    
Allendemuseet, Moderna Museet, Stockholm and in 1979 to Helsinki

1979    
Vandra och förvandla, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm

1979    
Galleri Mellbystrand

1979    
Svensk Grafik Då och Nu, Galleri Mellbystrand

1980    
Östersunds konsthall

1980    
Ur dagens läge, Galleri Händer, Stockholm

1980    
Skånskt 80-tal, Södertälje konsthall

1980    
Sydsvenska Dagbladet. Art Prize

1980    
Group exhibition Ur dagens läge, Galleri Händer, Stockholm

1980    
Adornment at the County Administrative Board in Halmstad, Fantasiens minnesbank

1980    
Member of the Art Academy

1981    
The Museum in Varberg, Sweden

1981    
Dansk-svensk grafik, Jönköping County Museum

1981    
Graphic Art Exhibition, Kristianstad Museum and again at Grafiska Sällskapet, Stockholm

1981    
Monumental painting, Fantasins minnesbank, for the entrance hall in the County administration’s new building, Halmstad

1981    
Vikingsberg’s Art Museum, Helsingborg

1981    
Grafiska Sällskapet, Stockholm

1981    
Sparbanken in Göinge

1982    
Sweden’s Allmänna Konstförening’s Jubilee exhibition

1982    
COBRA 1948-1951, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

1982    
Arbeten 1937-1982, Malmö konsthall

1982    
Galerie Leger, Malmö

1982    
Grafik 1937-1982, Galleri Wallner, Malmö

1982    
Gouacher 1956-1964, Galleri Händer, Malmö

1983    
Galleri F-15, Moss, Norway

1983    
Sölvesborg’s konsthall

1985    
Ystad’s konstmuseum

1986    
Art Centrum, Gävle

1986    
Galleri Astley, Uttersberg

1986    
Blekinge County Museum

1986    
Group exhibition with the COBRA-group in Sala Mendoza, Caracas, in Malmö konsthall, and in the Haru Museum, Tokyo, Liljevalchs konsthall, Stockholm. In 1988 it went to Odense, Denmark and Amsterdam, Holland

1987    
Målningar från imaginisttiden, Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm

1987
New paintings, Falsterbo konsthall

1988    
COBRA 40 years after, Amsterdam

1989    
Måleri 1956-1965, Galerie Bel’Art. Stockholm

1989    
New paintings, Galerie Boibrino, Stockholm

1989    
Fantasins minnesbank, Konstmuseet, Lund

1989    
Annualen, Stockholm

1989    
Imaginister då och nu, Kalmar County Museum

1989    
Group exhibition Animalen, Stockholm

1990    
Genesis, one-man show, Galerie Boibrino, Stockholm Art Fair

1990    
Centro Cultural, Malaga Spain

1990    
Guest exhibition (Mar.17th-Apr.1st.) at Decembristerna, Copenhagen

1990    
Group exhibition at Galleri GKM, at Fiac, Paris

1991    
Hommage à Matta, Grand Palais, Paris

1991    
Galleri GKM, Malmö

1992    
Jubilee exhibition, Galleri GKM, Malmö

1992    
Kristianstad County, Art Association, Kristianstad County Museum

1993    
Birgitta Stenberg-Hultén dies

1994    
Besvärjelser, upptäckter, aningar, Ronneby Art Hall

1995    
Participates in the inauguration of a new museum for Contemporary Art, in Amatelveen, Amsterdam

1995    
Afrikansk stamkonst, paintings by CO Hultén, Galleri Bass, Kristianstad

1997    
Besvärjelser, upptäckter, aningar, Gothenburg Art Museum and Bildmuseet, Umeå

1997    
Magins hjärta, CO Hultén’s collection of African Tribal Art, Galleri Astley, Uttersberg

1998    
Sedda former – Drömda rum, Mjellby konstmuseum, Halmstad

2000    
Gallery in C, Cologne

2002    
Ystad Art Museum

2003    
Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm

2003    
CO Hultén – abstrakta verk från 40-talet, Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm

2003    
Galleri Palm, Falsterbo

2003    
Galleri Astley, Uttersberg

2003    
Awarded the City of Malmö’s Cultural Prize

2004    
Oron och Begäret – Surrealismen i Skandinavien 1930-1950, Gothenburg Art Museum, collaboration with the Art
Museum in Bergen and Stenersenmuseet, Oslo

2004    
Växjö Art Hall

2004    
Det imaginära och det konkreta, Norrköping Art Museum and Malmö konstmuseum

2005    
CO Hultén nya målningar, Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm

2005    
June 11th, inauguration of a new work of art that originated from part of the adornment in the earlier Municipal
building in Staffanstorp

2005    
Hässleholm konsthall

2006    
Art Forum, Norrköping

2006    
Borstahusen konsthall, Landskrona

2006    
Participates in “De olydigas konstsalong”, Christinehof Castle

2006    
Ystad konstmuseum

2006    
A tribute to CO Hultén, Works from nine decades, Galerie Bel’Art, Stockholm

2006    
Staffanstorp konsthall

2008    
Works 1944-1955, Galerie Bel'Art, Stockholm

2012    
Retrospective Moderna Museet, Malmö

2016    
¨CO Hultén - The Swedish Cobra Painter¨, Skovhuset, Verløse, Denmark

2016    
¨CO Hultén - The Swedish Cobra Painter¨, Museum Jorn, Silkeborg, Denmark

2016    
Krognoshuset, Lund, ¨Late works - 1990 - 2005¨

2017    
Galerie Leger, Malmö