Peter Backhaus
Peter Backhaus was born in 1947 in former East Germany and moved with his family to West Germany in 1950. Raised in Minden, near Hanover, he relocated to Sweden in 1968, where he studied philosophy, psychology, sociology, and art history at the University of Gothenburg. From 1973 to 1978, he pursued his artistic education at Hovedskous Art School in Gothenburg, later becoming an associate professor and, in 2000, the school’s director and owner. Since retiring in 2014, he has devoted himself entirely to painting in his countryside studio.
Backhaus began his artistic journey as a realist painter before gradually developing his distinctive language of abstract expressionism. He considers his early study of reality and the Old Masters essential to the freedom of his mature work. Colour, intuition, and spontaneity lie at the heart of his practice. Rather than imposing preconceived ideas upon the canvas, he allows each painting to evolve through an instinctive dialogue between artist, material, and emerging image. For Backhaus, painting is inseparable from life itself—an ongoing process of discovery and self-expression.
Since 1980, his works have been exhibited extensively in Swedish and German galleries and museums, establishing his reputation within the Swedish art scene. His international presence has expanded through Pasmin Art with exhibitions in China, Germany, and the Rothko Museum. His artistic philosophy and lifelong dedication to colour are further reflected in his 2026 monograph, Peter Backhaus: Im Sturm der Farben / In the Storm of Colors, published by Pashmin Art Publisher.
