Erik Mark Sandberg
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
I have always wondered how the brothers Gabriel and Victor Gomez, or The Wolf Boys, with their hypertrichosis syndrome, got on with school. Equipped with neither consideration nor compassion, most children can be very cruel, with their sharp tongues and stinging words. How did the brothers’ react to the jeers of their peers? What did they feel? Outward contempt? Self-hatred? S elf-pity? This was the first thought that came to mind that I stumbled across Erik Mark Sandberg’s work.
“[My work] usually starts with… an idea I find interesting. Whether it’s a story in the news, some dysfunctional family I see walking through Kmart, a picture… things that stick out to me in observations of daily life. I focus a lot on the balance of “glamour”… the by-products of materialism, idolatry, promiscuous behaviour, genetic modification, pharmaceutical addictions… [and commenting] on what’s currently going on, what’s of the now… and pointing out contradictions. My work helps me gain a greater understanding of my own ideals and responsibilities with technological advancements in society.”
“The complex construction of a piece is often dictated by the conceptual underpinnings of the image or series. I work extensively with materials and components, such as: 3D polygon models, airbrush, oil, acrylic, alternative photo processes, glitter, resins, found photos… There is a constant push/pull, with layers upon layers of beauty and absurdity trying to find the balance with each other. It’s kind of like a math experiment. I’m playing with mixing a cocktail of material use value within the construction.”
Artwork and text generously permitted to be republished on this blog by the artist himself. Please visit his website to view more of his stunning work.