Flatbed (2018)

Solo Exhibition at 3:e Våningen, Gothenburg, Sweden
2018.02.24 – 2018.03.29

 

Exhibition Text

In the solo exhibition Flatbed Fredrik Åkum presents new works. A series of paintings are shown together with sculptures and a textile installation. The body of work has its starting point in painting, repetitions and an abstract approach to the copying machine. The title of the exhibition Flatbed, refers to copying machines, or scanners, which is a recurring tool in Åkum’s art, where he reduces, reproduces and uses previous works to search for abstractions and distortions. A tool that he often uses in his parallel interest in fanzines and artist books.

– Put your hand there, on the glass. – Will it hurt? – Oh, no! And keep still when there’s a light or there will be a weird result. Look! Isn’t that amazing, it’s your hand. Memory of first interaction with a copying machine, 1992.

The person in the next seat, reaches over for the Stop-button. Hold your breath, posture. – The thing is that you need to drag it over the image at the right pace, otherwise there’ll be a distorted result. Memory of first interaction with a scanner (hand-held), 1995. Stop. There, leave the current.

The exhibition Flatbed, has its starting point in the idea of the copying machine. A tool not only used to reproduce information, but also a tool to reduce information. To alter images, to help the search for abstractions and details, going back and forth within an existing material to find something new.

A tool of research in a self-produced material that perhaps was made under the influence of intuition. A loupe. in search of a pattern. trying to understand brushstrokes, trying to understand how paint works. the copying machine is not only reproducing images, or text, it also flattens objects, lessening the parameters to one surface, or what’s just straight on the surface of the glass plate. a tool that erases all thousands of choices in colors and tones. A tool in an endless hunt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of works:

Untitled (Flatbed) 1 (2017-2018) 160 x 240 cm, acrylic on canvas
Untitled (Flatbed) 2 (2018) 160 x 240 cm, acrylic on canvas
Untitled (Flatbed) (2018) 89 x 127 cm, acrylic on canvas
Untitled (Flatbed) (2018) 33 x 43 cm, acrylic on canvas
Untitled (Flatbed) (2018) 28 x 39 cm, acrylic on canvas
MCMXII 1-5 (2017-2018) 126 x 25 cm, jesmonite
Untitled (Flatbed) (2018) 825 x 400 cm, print on polyester