Emma Lofstrom News

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Colour research- winter edition. Natural pigments on paper.

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SUSURRATION OF THE SPRUCE

Susurration of the Spruce begins in the northern region of Jämtland, at the family house on the shore of Ljungan. The river was once an important transport route used to float timber from the inland forests to the sawmills on the coast; from there the wood was shipped further south to the capital and exported to Europe. Today plantations of pine and spruce have replaced a great deal of the once vast and rich boreal forest. This project draws attention to the life of the forest and the mycorrhizal networks that are formed between trees and mushrooms- fusing the boundaries between soil, roots and fungi. Interested in the mutualistic relationships that connect the forest through underground structures, the work is moving beyond human exceptionalism. The forest floor with its complex interspecies collaborations tells a story different to that of endless extraction of raw materials.

The project was presented at Wip Konsthall in June 2020, bringing together new works on paper, plant dyed fabrics and sculptures from recycled wood, collectively forming a journey into the world of the forest. The colour spectrum in the exhibition is collected directly from the northern landscape, combining local knowledge with studio-based experiments; plants, berries, bark and mushrooms are used to create the inks applied in the drawings. With a holistic approach to materials and how the artworks are made, Löfström is considering the source and afterlife of each element that make up the installation. The work is informed by field studies, scientific research, traditional knowledge and mythology, as the artist is engaging in a process preoccupied with learning to see and listen to the forest and its inhabitants in new ways.

Installation photos by Petter Löfstedt

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Colours from the northern forests

Coloured papers drying in the wind..I've used inks made from plants collected from the surrounding forest; bark from pine and birch, birch leaves, juniper tree, heather, blueberries, lingonberries and more...all common plants typical to the woods of the north. This research will eventually become part of an exhibition in Stockholm; examining the history, meaning and ecology of the northern forests.

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CHROMA

From Aristotele to present scientists and artists have been trying to describe and organize the colour spectrum visible to the human eye into comprehensible systems. However the experience of colour is a personal journey and this workshop is exploring the sensorial, cultural and historical aspects of colour. Using extracts from Chroma; a book on colour by artist Derek Jarman as a starting point, each participant was assigned a colour to research; blue, white, red, purple, green, brown, yellow and orange. The workshop resulted in a joint collage; a celebration of the collective act of mark making and the love for colour.

The workshop was held in collaboration with the Illustration School in Porto.

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First day (1/7) of my residency at the Illustration School in Porto. A visit to the Jardim Botânico Do Porto Portugal in the garden of the cacti plants. Learning about the different plants in the collection and their fascinating properties.

There are several samples of Opuntia in the garden (commonly called prickly pear, is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae). The Opuntia is not only edible and considered a delicacy, recent research show that the plant can effectively purify contaminated water.

"The technology grew from century-old knowledge that mucilage from some common cacti can clean drinking water. Norma Alcantar (Ph.D. University of South Florida) was first introduced to this process by her Mexican grandmother who described using boiled prickly pear cactus to capture particles in sediment-laced dirty water. The sediments sank, and the water at the top of the bucket became clear and drinkable."

This residency will focus on the Cactaceae – the family name of cacti plants. Starting from the cacti collection of Jardim Botânico Do Porto Portugal, the project will explore the fantastic properties of cacti, their uniqueness and structure. Emma will investigate the deep connection between humans and cacti; apart from the long history of cacti as a source of food and medicine, she will explore the fictional, mythical and religious connections to the plant. The project will consider the importance of cacti in a changing climate; they play an essential role in local ecosystems – as water reservoirs which many animals depend on, whilst also doubling as food. Cacti are extremely sensitive to habitat loss and over-harvesting, and today a third of all cactus species are endangered, with illegal trade being a contributing factor.

The research will materialise in an illustrated publication produced in collaboration with Uncanny Editions, and with the contribution of a guest writer.

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Excited to be part of this collaboration launching this Friday, 8th June from 19h - 21h, a new series of chocolate called Imaginary Botanics, made by chocolataria Equador and illustrated by 4 differents artits. Alexandra Rafael, Emma Löfström, Sofia Neto, and Uncanny Editions. A project done in collaboration with the Illustration School! Come taste and see the new series of chocolate packaging/ publications limited editions! This project is the result of a collaboration between Chocolataria Equador and the visual research and pedagogical platform Illustration School. It uses Porto Botanical Garden to explore the intersection between the experimentation of new flavours and how these can generate new visual narratives. From edible plants to fictional botanics, this series of limited edition packaging is the consequence of the investigative work developed by four illustrators and artists: Alexandra Rafael, Emma Löfström, Sofia Neto and Uncanny Editions. The design and illustrations for this limited edition reflect the journeys created through worlds of beauty and attraction, eccentric smells mirrored by contrasting colours in relation to flavours such as physalis, calendula, wild rose, kumquat, hibiscus, jasmine or poppy seeds.

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MOUNTAIN DEEP - INSTALLATION

Mountain Deep is a project exploring lines and landscape, geology and time in the semi-arid landscape of southern Spain. Developed as part of AADK Spain artist residency the project begun at the foot of Sierra Solan in the Ricote valley.

Reading the landscape through its materiality and colours, Emma Lofstrom collects rocks, pieces of clay and pollen, assembling a colour palette employed to discover the land.  Combining field research with studio-based experiments, the project examines the sensitivity of the living material and initiates a series of exercises in learning to see and listen to the matter.

Reflecting upon the fragility of the landscape, subject to high soil erosion and water overexploitation, Lofstrom selects delicate fragments that she re-frames and transforms. Considering the instantaneous history of humankind in relation to the geological cycles of destruction and renewal, she reflects upon the ephemeral qualities of the landscape and humankind’s failing attempts to control nature. The work was presented at Centro Negra as a spatial installation in which a dialogue opens between manmade structures and organic elements, subtle and volatile.

The residency was supported by Iaspis – The Swedish Arts Grants Committeé’s International Programme for Visual Artists.

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An investigation into the flora of the region, amazed by the importance and characteristics of the plants growing in semi-arid landscapes, their ability to withdraw water and preserve the soil. A storm displaced massive branches of Acacia, they are now drying on the studio walls.

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This saturday I will be showing some new work as part of the open studios at Centro Negra AADK Spain. It has been a wonderful month in Blanca, and I’m excited to share some fresh work that has taken me in unexpected directions. More info about the event http://aadk.es/noticias/estudios-abiertos-abril-2018/

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I’m developing pigments from rocks as part of a new research project, here are some beautiful colours in progress.

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Happy to be back as an artist in residence at AADK Centro Negra. Here’s a sneak peek of my work in progress, influenced by the surroundings I’ve started developing natural pigments.

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My short film Myth of the Cicada will be screened as part of STUDIO 44 Film Festival in Stockholm. STUDIO 44 Film Festival will be hosted during Stockholm Culture Festival 15 - 20 August 2017. Movies are screened by 40 filmmakers from 15 different countries. Location: STUDIO 44, Tjärhovsgatan 44, Stockholm This is how the curators describe the event: It has long been lacking a wide-ranging film festival; Animations, art, narrative, documentary, experimental, feminist, queer, antirasist in a fantastic mix!

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Drawings from my ongoing project exploring lines and landscape/walking and narrative/geology and time in the magic mountains of southern Spain. Developed as part of Centro Negra, AADK Spain artist residency. With support by Iaspis – The Swedish Arts Grants Committeé’s International Programme for Visual Artists.

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Exploring lines and landscape/walking and narrative, in the magic mountains of Southern Spain. This summer at Centro Negra, AADK Spain artist residency.

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On the Edge of Time is a project by Emma Löfström that began in the archives of the Natural History Museum. Whilst considering the relationship between natural and human history, the project comments on humankind’s quest to map, name and ultimately control the natural world. This publication was developed whilst in residence at SPACE Arts+Technology/The White Building, supported by Iaspis, The Swedish Arts Grants Committeé’s International Programme for Visual Artists.

More information: spacestudios.org.uk

Graphic design by Johanna Lundberg.

Photos by Petter Löfstedt.

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ON THE EDGE OF TIME

Installation shots of the exhibition held at SPACE/The White Building between Wed 20 Jan – Sun 24 Jan 2016.

An exploration into the systems of myth and meaning that shape natural history, reinventing a nature where we find ourselves confronted with a multitude of life forms and a blurring of the boundaries of classification.

Read more on SPACE Art + Technology

Photos by Benjamin Westoby

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Mythical creatures of past and future; great imagination and engagement from the public during this workshop at Tate Britain in London. In this workshop the participants were shown how to blend drawing with collage techniques, and encouraged to experiment and explore new ways of using their imagination. Playing with ideas of future ecosystems, and the possibilities of biotechnology, the participants were asked to invent new life-forms. Animals were the muses for the very first human art and mark-making, and have since frequented myths, legends, fantasies and fiction. We are looking at animals in a time of extinctions and transformations, and exploring a diversity of new living creatures, mixing drawing with photos, textbook illustrations and naturalists’ discoveries.

The workshop was held as part of People’s Bureau at BP Family Festival 2015: Bring your tribe, Tate Britain October 2015.