Jan Hafstrom- Born 1937 in Stockholm, Sweden. Lives in Stockholm, SE. Travels and memories have always been important to Håfström, and his works often incorporate strongly autobiographical features. In a recent series of paintings, following a powerful encounter with works by Gauguin and Matisse, and after witnessing a dramatic death shooting in St. Petersburg, Håfström is returning to two basic characters: The alter-ego of the Phantom, Mr Walker, remembered from his childhood, and Mr Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. These works embrace a wide spectrum of fragments of memories and references. In addition to Walker and Conrad, we find traces of Russian icons, childhood pictures, objects and his own previous works, and in this way they could be said to summarize his entire oeuvre.

Jan Håfström is an important figure in Swedish art and culture, known for his iconic paintings such as "The Forest" and "Grandmother". He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm and has been a prominent artist since the 1960s. In 2001, he surprised the Swedish art public with the exhibition "Walker" at Färgfabriken in Stockholm, where he introduced the character Mr. Walker and his fictitious, eventful world. Håfström combines abstract canvases with storytelling elements influenced by his childhood experiences, creating a unique and captivating narrative in his artwork.