Soren Carlbergg

About Soren Carlbergg. 

Since the swinging sixties, artist Soren Carlbergg has drawn inspiration from

architecture, cubism, and abstract pioneers such as Wassily

Kandinsky and Joan Miró. Now, his own vibrant abstract works will fill the walls

of Lismore’s Serpentine Gallery in Selective Retrospective, running from April 7

to April 20, 2026.

Working from his studio in Rosebank, Carlbergg has built a respected local

career and is well known for his portraiture. A multiple finalist in the Lismore

Portrait Prize, he continues to value life drawing as a core practice. “Figure

drawing keeps me in contact with the way my hand moves with my eye,” he

said, noting that while it’s not his primary focus, it remains an important

discipline shaped partly by demand.

His greatest passion, however, lies in contemporary abstract painting.

Carlbergg is known for embedding intricate detail within small works that

reveal themselves gradually. “I try to create a narrative so that when people

look at the work, they can form their own interpretation,” he explained. “It’s

about how it makes them feel—their personal response—and it always offers

something new.”

Encouraged from high school, Carlbergg gained entry to the Sydney Art College

during a period of cultural and artistic change. While some teaching remained

traditional, the broader environment supported experimentation and new

approaches. By his third year, he was already exhibiting in Sydney galleries,

and his first solo show led to commissions for government buildings, including

State Forests offices, the Department of Works, the Electricity Commission in

Canberra, and Macquarie University.

Selective Retrospective brings together around 50 works, offering a broad view

of his artistic evolution. Among them are smaller pieces that mark key

transitions in his process. Describing himself as a reductionist, Carlbergg

focuses on simplifying compositions—often returning to a work to remove

elements rather than add them. “It’s very spatial,” he said. “I’m using oil paint

for the longer working time, so I can think, choose colours, build them in

washes and strokes, then rework the surface.”

For Carlbergg, the act of painting is as much about decision-making as it is

execution. “There are two important things: knowing when to stop, and

knowing when to do more,” he reflected. It’s a balance that underpins decades

of practice and is evident across the works in this exhibition. “I haven’t had a

show like this since the ’70s,” he said. “It’s exciting to see it all together in one

room.”

Beyond the studio, many locals will recognise Carlbergg from the music scene.

He performs with Federal Blues Inc. (FBI), a regular act at the Blues Club at

Ballina RSL, where he also coordinates band bookings. Having played in local

groups since moving to the region in 1976—including the surf band Mal and

the Longboarders—music has long been a parallel creative outlet.

While performing offers the shared energy of collaboration, painting remains a

more introspective pursuit. As he prepares for this exhibition, Carlbergg

reflects on a body of work shaped by decades of experience and the broader

events of the times. Together, the paintings form a layered and personal

record—one that invites viewers to pause, interpret, and connect.

Selective Retrospective opens Wednesday, April 8, from 5.30–8 pm at the

Serpentine Gallery.