Work on the exhibition began while Ree was still on parental leave, with almost no time at his disposal. The process started with simple sketches on paper, which over time developed into a series of drawings, before the physical work took shape in the studio. The artist also worked extensively with both physical and digital models to visualize the works within the exhibition space. The project has unfolded over a longer period than his previous work, allowing the pieces time to mature.

The works emerge from a thematic framework rooted in personal experience. The exhibition is based on two dreams—one from childhood, and one from the period of becoming a father. Fragments of these dreams are carried into the exhibition as texts in two of the works, one written on a typewriter and the other printed using traditional letterpress techniques.

Materially, the works are grounded in a distinctly craft-based practice. The marble sculptures are executed using chisel, pneumatic hammer, rasp, and polishing stone, and several of the objects in the exhibition—such as the piano stool—are entirely handmade. In this exhibition, Ree has also worked with pedestals as an integrated part of the works—an element he wished to explore further, both as a historical reference and as an extension of the sculpture.

The artist’s upbringing forms an important backdrop to the works. Ree grew up in a family of musicians, and references to instruments and sound function as a recurring theme and atmosphere throughout the exhibition. For the artist, classical marble sculpture and instrument making share interesting connections, both visually and historically.

Ree describes his encounter with marble as pivotal to his practice. The material at times demands complete precision and presence. For the artist, there is a particular value in this—that the expression emerges from what cannot be undone.

Aksel Ree (b.1993) holds a degree in Interior Architecture from the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo.

In his marble reliefs, Ree fragments the human body as a reflection over the material and its ability to replicate skin. His work exposes the most intimate and vulnerable parts of the human body, mixing both contemporary and classical styles. With its delicate ornamentation, his works balances beautifully on the lines of kitsch and banal, while simultaneously drawing references to art history and androgyny.

Working in marble, Ree describes, is the most intimate artistic practice as it requires the focus of the entire body and mind.