Sculpture

Sculpture

Sculpture represents a recent development in Jolanta Johnsson’s artistic practice, emerging from her desire to extend the human figure into three-dimensional space. Forms that once existed on paper appear to have moved beyond the pictorial surface, assuming physical presence as figures cut from thick sheets of steel or aluminium.

These sculptures are conceived through an interplay of mass and void. Hand-shaped cut-outs within the silhouettes introduce openings that both define and disrupt the figure, creating spaces that invite multiple interpretations. For the artist, space carries profound symbolic meaning, evoking freedom, liberty, and infinity — conditions that inevitably confront human existence.

The absence of material may also be understood as a metaphor for imperfection or incompleteness. Johnsson’s work reflects an interest in portraying human beings as they are: vulnerable, unfinished, and continually evolving. The void within the figure may further suggest transformation — the anticipation of change and the emergence of new possibilities. By removing what once was, space is created for what may come.

Wood constitutes an essential component of these sculptural compositions. At times it functions as an equal counterpart to the metal elements; at others, it serves as their structural foundation. The wood is sourced from trees familiar to the artist, each bearing its own history. Living in close proximity to this natural environment, Johnsson engages with these materials through a deeply personal connection.

The sculptures invite viewers to enter into a quiet dialogue between material and absence, form and space, permanence and transformation.