Irene Jarz

The foundation for this vision was laid in Venice itself. From 1981 to 1983 Jarz studied at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, one of the leading institutions in Europe for the craft of printmaking. That period left a lasting mark on both her technique and her subject matter. She returned to Sweden with a command of color etching and a set of themes she has continued to explore for decades, refining rather than abandoning them.

Her prints typically show groups of figures in procession or at rest, dressed in the layered costumes and exaggerated masks of the commedia dell'arte tradition. Titles such as "Karnevalsfigurer," "Venetianska lekar," "I skymningen," and the "Masker" series give a sense of how consistently she has held to this world. The palette in her color etchings tends toward warm ochres and deep shadows, with the theatrical light of lanterns or fading afternoon sun. Her editions are numbered and signed, often in runs of 125 to 320 copies, placing the work firmly in the tradition of the democratic print - art made to circulate.

Jarz is represented in the collection of Kalmar Konstmuseum. She has exhibited at Galleri Bluelight in Malmö, Galleri Il Traghetto in Venice, and Lilla Galleriet in Lund, among other venues. She has received a cultural scholarship from Växjö Municipality. Her studio remains in Växjö, and she participates in the Växjö Konstrunda open studio events.

On the Nordic auction market, Jarz appears primarily at regional houses in southern Sweden. Växjö Auktionskammare accounts for the largest share of her auction appearances (15 of 37 recorded lots), followed by Helsingborgs Auktionskammare, Garpenhus Auktioner, Stockholms Auktionsverk Helsingborg, and Höganäs Auktionsverk. Top realized prices include 1,775 SEK for "Karnevalsfigurer" (color etching), 1,600 SEK for "Masker V," and 1,400 SEK for another "Karnevalsfigurer" edition. Her work sells at accessible prices that reflect the democratic ethos of the numbered edition print.