My close friend for 26 years, Magnus was one of the most prolific and under appreciated artists of his generation. Both Magnus and I were integral members of Punkt/ Data Gallery and Skunk Piss Mag where Magnus penned his art critique comic page “Less Than Zero” during the 2 1/2 years the magazine was published ( 1977 – 1980 ). The gallery and magazine were actively involved with the music scene, not only as fans but as producers of shows which included, among others: The Girls, Human Sexual Response, La Peste, DMZ… Promoting the gallery, the magazine, and the live shows meant designing and posting posters in Boston and Cambridge, and Magnus gave the same level of attention to his poster art as he did to his “art” art. As with myself, we both became DJ’s on WMBR and WZBC, and continued designing posters for many of the events both stations held over the years.

I’m fortunate enough to own a number of his posters, paintings, drawings, and publications, including his 1st two large scale paintings, which, for a time, he wanted me to return to him so he could destroy them. As the years marched by he conceded I did well by keeping them.

Anyone familiar with Magnus’ work have always appreciated him as a incredibly skilled master of drawing, and less so for his painting. Both in subject matter and execution, there is a disquieting aspect to his paintings that has put off most gallery owners and buyers during his life time. I’m convinced this will change. The challenge is to see Magnus’ work through his eyes. Most of his paintings are both 3 dimensional, and yet flat. Renderings of hands, faces, arms and legs, can appear to be the work of a rank amateur, but what is missed by focusing on the details is the cohesive vision of every painting that Magnus took brush to canvas or masonite and presented as a finished work of art.

Magnus was one of the most influential artists and people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. It is my hope and belief that he will be acknowledged as one of the great artists of the later half of the 20th and the early 21st centuries.

Mark Flynn

March 6, 2017