“Artist in Focus” is a new column that shines a light on individual artists by showcasing their portfolios and artworks, exploring their inspirations and personal journeys. As our team travels to various art fairs, festivals, art weeks, and biennales, we uncover emerging talents and share their stories, giving our readers an authentic glimpse into the artists who are shaping the contemporary art world today.
Hanna Antonsson (b. 1991), a Swedish artist, creates sculptural and photographic hybrids. Being interested in animals’ perspectives, symbolism, and constant presence in various myths and our daily lives, Antonsson deconstructs various elements of reality. Her work explores the idea of transformation and constant change – the cyclical flow between life and death, nature and technology, organic and inorganic. A continuous process of evolution, where various elements merge into fluid, interconnected wholes is an endless source of inspiration for the artist, with birds being at its centre. The intricate patterns of a feather have opened up a broad world of different symbolic meanings for Antonsson. As such, the exploration of taxidermy made via birds, wings, and feathers has been introduced with parts of birds deconstructed and re-animated using moving electronic parts or as still sculptural pieces. Birds used in the artist’s work have died of natural causes, often found as roadkills, serving as a subject of further research in her practice – human intervention into the environment, anthropocentric impact on wildlife and nature.
