Biography
Alex Fridell (b. Falun, Dalarna, Sweden 1894 – d. Stockholm 1935) attended the Art Academy in Stockholm between 1913-16. His first major exhibition was at Kunstforeningen (The Art Society, now called Gammel Strand), Copenhagen with Eric Detthow and David Tägström in 1918. Fridell was a printmaker whose main income was from portrait engravings including those of the Swedish Royal family but he also did cariacatures, influenced by Cruikshank and Goya. He travelled around Europe, to Germany, Venice and Florence (1921); to Paris (1923) and to London 1926-27 where he married Ingrid Starck (1903-83), became member of Chelsea Arts Club, and through Thorsten Laurin was introduced to Martin Hardie (1875-1952), Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Campbell Dodgson (1867-1948), Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum and purchaser for the Contemporary Art Society from its of Prints and Drawings Fund. He took a studio in Wentworth Studios, Manresa Road, London and spent his time in Sussex. In May 1929 he signed a contract with Bukowski, giving the firm exclusive rights to the sale of his work in return for a monthly stipend for at least a decade. A TV film was made about Alex Fridell in 1980.
