My art is not about how the world is, but how it is experienced. I believe that this is the purpose of art in a world where we seem to feel a greater desire than ever to categorize and explain everything in a very scientific way. My images are a reaction to how the human psyche tends to be demystified and explained more as an algorithm. By describing feelings and experiences that many feel alone with in a caring way and with honesty, I mediate an optimistic view of even the darker and more destructive parts of our psyches without looking for explanations.
All of my images contain a clear story or theme. However, the motifs in conjunction with the titles work as a surface where the viewer can project their own experiences, and by doing so, get a new or deeper understanding of their own inner world. The experience of the artwork should be as a good talk with a friend where you leave with a deeper understanding of yourself.
As an artist I always expand my own expectations of how a figurative image can be made. This has led me to develop a method where I work with both the ink’s transparency or the pencil’s softness to create volume, but also with designed patterns that dominate the picture field when you look at the work up close. This creates an almost dreamlike impression that represents how real our state of mind can seem even though it’s something untouchable.
Axel Stadius
The art of Axel Stadius
