Klas Herbert Ernflo’s Intriguing Imagery

The work of Swedish multidisciplinary artist Klas Herbert Ernflo is striking: simple forms render complex ideas, and in his latest work—a series of 18 panels—it almost seems as if he has rendered the tapestries of old mythologies anew.

The Barcelona-based multi-hyphenate worked as a graphic designer and art director before giving himself over to full-time freelance work as an artist. In his latest work, abstract forms run along each page offering a narrative that begs for interpretation. What do the associations between these forms mean—if, anything at all? Spread across 18 panels, the paintings appear more like carved cuneiform than the creation of oil and ink. The soft illustrative edges of each symbol make them appear friendly; and though the story they are telling may be as intelligible as hieroglyphics, you imagine that they only hold warm truths.

All images © Klas Herbert Ernflo