Drowning sun #4

Self collected beach sand from the Pacific coast of Mexico, cotton, pva, water, staples and aluminium strecher

Magnus Vatvedt's sand paintings immediately appear as abstract, gestural paintings. Thick coats of light and dark mass are distributed over the canvas fabric with a thick brush or wide spatula. This expression is nevertheless more charged than at first glance, as the canvas is not painted with paint, but place-specific sand from beaches and places around the world, obtained by the artist himself. Where it comments on both the painting's history as a personal document and a valuable object, these works can at the same time be interpreted as an essential expression of an escapist attitude on the part of the artist. With reference to countless beaches, one can imagine hot days in the sand, stunned by festivities and the search for the meaning of life where one looks beyond endless waves that flow in over the feet.

Vatvedt's paintings are about both philosophical and existential questions, but also the physical properties of the sand in art, both visually and tactilely. The paintings with sand ask an interesting visual question of what they are - as the works are both abstract and realistic at the same time.

50 x 40 cm
Unique
NOK 20,000.00
+ 5% art tax

Magnus Vatvedt (b. 1981) holds degrees from the Norwegian Academy of Fine Arts (MA) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Trondheim (BA).

Vatvedt's artistic focus centers around incorporating readymades into his paintings, utilizing raw elements sourced directly from nature as primary components. He has garnered significant attention in recent years for his ongoing series of sand paintings, which he has diligently developed since 2012. Vatvedt's artworks delve into philosophical and existential inquiries while also exploring the tactile and visual attributes of sand within the realm of art. The sand-infused paintings present a captivating visual paradox, blurring the lines between abstraction and realism. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Vatvedt engages in curatorial work, notably spearheading the curation of Hotch-Potch-London in Hackney back in 2009, along with several exhibitions across Norway.