The work of Swedish artist Roland Persson manifests a profoundly complex verisimilitude. This applies not only to the nature of his subject matter, which ranges from dreams and personal experience to considerations of the human condition, our relationship to nature, and the vagaries of urban life, but also to form and content, which are governed by his scientific attention to detail, technical skill, material choices, and psychological approach. A case in point is his handling of silicone, which permits him to effectively replicate the appearance of trash, decorative articles, and flora and fauna. While many of Persson’s compositions embody contradictions or ambiguities, with a tendency toward the metaphorical, enigmatic, or latent, he also excels at public commissions that invite participation, inform, or, perhaps most importantly, promote well-being while engaging different segments of society.
John Gayer: Though you have produced a large and diverse body of sculpture, you’ve said that you first wanted to be a painter. What happened?
Roland Persson: I did a lot of drawing and painting during my childhood. Then, at the age of 21, I entered Ålsta folk university, where I could try everything, including printmaking and weaving in my first year. But because I loved color, I thought I should be a painter. Color’s impact on me was intense. For example, if I peeled or sliced some fruit in the studio, I would not be able to eat it, because I wanted to capture its color in the painting. . .
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