Sparkling objects and bright illusions that have landed on something extremely concrete – a solid, yet mangled base. Solid Illusions is a series of encounters: between wood and glass, light and color, matte surfaces and transparency, sanded and unsanded finishes. It is inspired by nature and in a mood encompassing anxiety, dread and sorrow – but also ease, confidence and gratitude.
THE WORK
Solid Illusions is a collection of substantial works in glass and wood. These poetic, abstract sculptures are inspired by nature and based on precise moods.
The Glass
All pieces in the exhibition are made from solid glass that has been blown and sanded by the artist. As a glass artist, Morgan Persson possesses the utmost level of craftsmanship. In addition to being one of few artists in the world to have mastered the graal technique, through experimentation he has developed a unique method of creating “marbling” in the glass.
The chemical process includes a series of steps and the results can be influenced, but not entirely controlled. In addition to craftsmanship and precision, another characteristic of Morgan Persson’s work is the fact that he essentially makes the pieces himself. This is particularly true with Solid Illusions.
The Wood
Several pieces in Solid Illusions stand on a wooden base. The darker pieces are oak that had been outdoors at an old shipyard on Orust, north of Gothenburg. As with people, the wooden pieces bear traces of their history – from the sea, rain, sun, tar, iron nails and hints of once having rested on a mountain – but also from the actual life of the wood.
The lighter wooden pieces are birch from Småland – unique pieces of wood whose rings are broken by the deformations or defects called burl. Birch with burl may be uninteresting to lumber mills, but not to an artist. Viewers will also find a connection to people here, and the beauty that emerges in the absence of perfection.
The Mood
Solid Illusions is a commentary on a challenging event faced by Morgan Persson’s family, and it is based on the sensation of rising out of acute distress.
After battling for survival, there is a state in which pain and fear have yet to subside entirely, but life has still taken a turn for the better. Thus, moods such as fear, anxiety, and sorrow on the one hand, and ease, gratitude and hope on the other have a powerful presence in these pieces.
At some point, a simple and bright existence landed on something unfamiliar and inconceivably dark, but now the glass objects have landed on their platforms – just as the artist and his family landed in a new situation, a new life, and can shine a new light on their existence.
In addition to inspiration from Morgan Persson’s childhood by the sea and his life today in the forests of Småland, traces can be found of a hopeful journey to Morocco, when colors and patterns revealed the path forward and upward.
