Danelle Bergstrom is a Swedish Australian artist living between her home and studio in the Åland Islands and the historic former gold mining town of Hill End in Australia. She creates multi-faceted portraits and wildly evocative landscapes that pictorialise the artist’s lived experiences, personifying the human form and the land as a vessel for emotion.
Bergstrom has been the recipient of major residencies in Åland, Finland (2016), Konstepidemin, Gothenburg, Sweden (2016, 2011), Northern Territory Supreme Court, Darwin, Australia (2008) and Cill Rialaig in Ireland (2007). She has been a finalist in numerous prestigious Australian art prizes including the Archibald Prize, Portia Geach Memorial Award, Paddington Art Prize and Salon des Refusés and has painted over twenty public commissions. Her work is held in many important global collections, both public and private, including the National Portrait Gallery and National Library in Australia.
Current Work & Projects
Danelle’s 5 year multimedia project, Spirit of Emelia, documenting the building of the historical Galeas Emelia at the Mariehamn Sjökvarteret in Åland had its premiere at the Ålands konstmuseum in October 2026.
Spirit of Emelia encompasses a documentary film, audio recordings, animation and a book, as well as an exhibition featuring over 80 portraits and paintings of the remarkable shipbuilding process and the men and women involved in her construction.
The project plans to tour internationally, drawing attention to this extraordinary boat building community venture.
You can read more about this exciting new project here and view the exhibition here.
In 2023, Danelle’s extensive career was highlighted in a career survey exhibition at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery in Australia. Selected landscape works from the last twenty years were presented alongside many of her notable portraits and film work.
You can view the exhibition online here.
