Andreas Andersson

Gothenburg, Sweden
Residency: February – March 2015

Andreas R. Andersson was born in 1982 in Västerås, Barkarö and is educated at the Valand Academy, 2010-2012. Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design 2006-2009. Since then, he has made solo exhibitions and been part of group shows around the world such as: Kunming, China; Alaska, United States; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Oslo, Norway; Stockholm, Sweden; Vienna and Salzburg, Austria. His work shows how life extends beyond its own subjective limits and often tells a story about the effects of global cultural and political problems over the last 21st century. Hi has for example built weapon storage rooms, trapped people in containers, create riots alone and working with refugee boats.

Artist Statement
I begin with a constant fascination for the breaking point between the visual way to see and think with the physical matter of the body and materiality of the object. We humans are in constant need to find metaphors to be able to relate to the abstract structures and then to build something more structured within us. Thus do I find the form to be full of meaning where all materials have the potential to create something new, something that tells a different story but does not exclude it self. All materials have their own personal qualities that can be broken down, transformed and destroyed. I make installations and sculptures in a conceptual context. I try to approach a wide scale of subjects in a multi-layered way. I also like to involve the viewer and myself in a way that is sometimes physical and believes in the idea of function following form in a work. My installations shows how life extends beyond its own subjective limits and often tells a story about the effects of global cultural and political problems over the last 21st century. By manipulating the viewer and create confusion, I want to highlight a form of resistance against the logic of the capitalist market system. My installations are on the one hand touchingly beautiful, on the other hand painfully attractive and with a conceptual approach I want to leave the viewer orphaned with a mix of conflicting feelings and thoughts.

www.andreasrandersson.com