Inspired by the countless forms and relationships of nature, artist in Minneapolis Sonja Peterson Creates vast scenes of complicated cut paper. Intuitively working while concentrating on the environment and our place in it, she combines organic motifs and animals with people and historical references.
The inherent simplicity of an empty piece of paper is a compelling characteristic for Peterson, fascinated by the possibilities of texture, pattern and the relationship between positive and negative space. Originally the artist made drawings on large sheets, in which she started cutting to rearrange composition elements. She became increasingly interested in the art of the incision and completely removed other media.
“My choice of paper reflects the idea of the vulnerability that I want to convey while I look at the precarity of ecological systems,” Peterson tells Colossal. “The structural integrity of the works sometimes depends on its interconnectivity; when elements disconnect, the entire system is threatened to collapse.”
An overarching theme in Peterson’s work revolves around interconnection-zowel Naturally as human-made and alleviating how our worldwide trading systems, production and agriculture are fundamentally dependent on our environment, even if they contribute to an ever-increasing climate crisis. She often combines human interactions with botanical details, such as a sunken ship in “Lost and Searching” or the striking history of the European colonialist expansion in “Empire Builder”.
The artist is interested in our “Global Systems like something from Untamed Wonder, a look that was once reserved for the natural world,” she says. She often places botanical details in addition to structures made by people, such as ships or buildings. “Nature is now often seen as a recorded patchwork or a constructed binary world for a technological world that is now the wild boundary.”
Peterson’s work can currently be seen Nordic echoes – Tradition in contemporary art bee Scandinavia HouseIt runs from 5 April to 2 August in New York City. The show celebrates contemporary folk arts from the Upper Midwest, with more than 50 works by 24 artists. Find more about the Peterson’s website And Instagram.
