“Listening to the material is a central principle in my work,” Matias Karsikas says. Combining components of glass, wooden, and ceramics, the Helinski-based artist draw upon nature’s persistence regardless of human intervention.
Karsikas’ botanical sculptures relaxation between synthetic and natural. Whereas daring hues of hand-blown glass neatly bloom into symmetrical petals and small bits of fired clay rhythmically protrude to resemble disc florets, fragments of untreated wooden create a distinction that challenges the concord between naturally occurring parts of flora and fabricated representations of it.
“These works do not directly depict figures or landscapes but instead draw inspiration from nature through textures and surfaces,” Karsikas explains. For example, extra complicated finishes of mottled, inexperienced hues—as seen in items resembling “Jäkälä” and “Sammal”—are a results of the artist creating his personal glazes to imitate surfaces much like lichen and moss.
His first main public work, “Peukaloisen puutarha,” rests on a Helsinki daycare middle wall. Translating to “Little Thumbling’s Garden,” the set up consists of an abundance of pickings resembling embellished flowers, a berry cluster, and peas. “Playing with scale is intended to evoke memories of childhood,” Karsikas shares. “It was a time when everything seemed bigger, more magical, and more exciting.”
Having not too long ago concluded his first main exhibition on the Finnish Glass Museum, Karsikas is presently engaged on two forthcoming public artworks. Observe his Instagram for updates, and see his web site for extra work.
