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About

Tender sadness of fading summer, fragrance of whirling leaves to your feet, lively spirit of the busy Old City, romantic images of sterile sails on the rough deep waters of the Nordic coast….

These and many similar images are revealed in many water paintings and drawings of Stockholm cutting-edge by Manu Olsson.

As a reflection of experiences in peacekeeping humanitarian missions in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Russia, Tajikistan, the author is deeply empathetic, finding full self-realization in the new living environment of the strict North.

Here, you feel how the Nordic hardness blends into the harmony and peace of the wisdom of the East, along with the Tajik sentimental spirit.
The author hopes it could become an inspirational delight to bring joy for your day.

Manu's original art >

Artist biography

Manu Olsson

Watercolor artist
Fabriano In Acquarello – Swedish Country leader
Member of the Association of Swedish artists
Born in 1963 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

I have a background as an architect, and I graduated from the School of Architecture of Tajik Political University in 1985.

For several years, I worked as an architect for different architecture companies in Dushanbe and Vilnius.

When the civil war broke out in my country, I worked as a construction supervisor with "Doctors Without Borders" (MSF, Holland – a non-government organization). We reconstructed and maintained mental health hospitals in the Tajikistan area, 1998-2001.

Between 2001 and 2006, I designed and built facilities for UN DPKO in Africa and worked as a UN architect in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Liberia.

After I moved to Sweden in 2006, I started to engage myself in watercolor painting. Watercolor painting became my passion, profession, and personal identity.

In 2023, I founded the art studio ”Art Manu”. My vision is to widely spread watercolor in my country. That is why I, among other things, collaborate with other watercolor artists from abroad and invite them to Sweden for workshops.

I love the watercolor media! Watercolor changes and lives in time! It is transparent! And all these qualities breathe life into the motive. That’s why I paint in watercolor myself along with actively participating with my watercolor paintings in various domestic and international competitions and exhibitions.

Various exhibitions in Stockholm, such as in T-galleriet, “Odd fellows”, and others.
Stockholms Konstsalong 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 – selected artist, participation in exhibition, and selected by the audience as winner 2020 – “Publikens val 2020”.
Svenska Konstnärsförbundet/SK online exhibition 2022, participation.
Upplands Väsby Konsthall – watercolor exhibition 2023 and 2024, selected artist and participant.
Fabriano In Acquarello – the international festival in Fabriano 2024-25, selected artist and participation in exhibitions as part of the Swedish group.
Vietnam In Acquarello Hanoi, 2024 – selected artist and participant as part of the Nordic countries group – received an Excellence Award 2024.
2nd Singapore IWS International Watercolor Exhibition and Competition 2024 – selected artist and participant; received a nominee award.
Festival Acuarela Córdoba 2025 – selected artist and participant.
Salon d'Aquarelles Ceret, France 2025- selected artist and participant; received certificate of “Honorable mention”, category Cityscapes.
IWS Bulgaria, IV International “Watercolor & Spirit” Triennial, Varna 2025– selected artist and participant in the traveling exhibition, 2025.
Watercolor International Greece, Online Exhibition Glimpses of Everyday Life III, 2025 – selected artist and participant.
Accademia Internazionale dell'Acquerello, Academy Award, Monza 2025 –succeeded the second tour, certificate (top 40 artists).
International Art Festival Mexico City. Rivers of colors (Ríos de Color). September 2025 – selected artist and participant in the category Landscape
The 2025 Almenara Collection, 2025 online exhibition – participant in the category Landscape and Plain Air.
2025 Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival in Treviso, Italy. October 2025 – selected artist and participant.