The Quiet World of Jon Koko
Jon Koko, the artistic pseudonym of Swedish creator Oskar Glemme, is an artist and illustrator based in Malmö whose work offers a serene escape from our fast-paced modern world. Born in Lund in 1988, Koko has cultivated a unique visual identity that effortlessly bridges Nordic simplicity with Eastern elegance. His minimalist and slightly melancholic aesthetic has garnered international attention, leading to exhibitions across the globe and notable collaborations with design houses like Norrgavel and fashion brands such as Maison Kitsuné.
By adopting a stage name—derived from Japanese characters symbolizing “sea” and “quirky”—he creates a deliberate distance from his everyday self, allowing him to explore his creativity with total freedom.Visually, Koko’s art is a masterclass in tranquility, combining a pale, earthy Scandinavian color palette with flat, geometric shapes. Working primarily in oil paints thinned with walnut or safflower oil to preserve their true hues, he constructs slow, dreamlike landscapes and architectural scenes. His creative process is remarkably patient; he often starts with a digital sketch, letting the image rest for months so he can view it with fresh eyes before committing to the final, meticulous painting.
Whether depicting rippling water, quiet streets, or solitary human figures seamlessly integrated into their environments, his compositions possess a cinematic quality that invites the mind to wander without feeling overwhelmed by noise or visual clutter.At the core of Koko’s philosophy is the pursuit of the “essence”—a deliberate stripping away of the non-essential to find clarity. He draws profound inspiration from Eastern philosophies like Taoism and Buddhism, as well as traditional Japanese art and architecture. For Koko, the concept of “space” is fundamental, both as an active visual element in his paintings and as a mental necessity for cultivating inspiration. By blending these philosophical tenets with his own memories and observations of the passing world, his work serves as a meditative reflection on balance, solitude, and the quiet harmony found only in pure simplicity.
Recent Works:
jonkoko.com
https://www.instagram.com/jonkoko/
