Peter Callesen (1967 - present) was born in Demark. His paper works are literally the results of folding – and cutting. On top of a story that includes various symbols that we recognize from fairy tales and other archetypical storytelling, and thus integrating all those narratives that we know from reading books and watching films about castles and princesses and monsters and darkness and a lot of other things, he also brings in the story of the work itself.
(Callesen, Peter. Alive, but Dead. c. 2006.
Acid-Free paper, glue, acrylic paint, and oak frame.)
Since 2004 parallel to his performance practice, he has been transforming two-dimensional surfaces into three-dimensional sculptures by the means of a paper cutter. From the white surface of ordinary A4 paper, a narrative arises. Or rather, lots of them. Stories, dramas, film clips. The following text is from Peter Callesen's website. He speaks about his work:
(Callesen, Peter. Eismeer. c. 2006.
Acid-Free A4 80 gsm paper and glue.)
"Lately I have worked almost exclusively with white paper in different objects, paper cuts, installations, and performances. A large part of my work is made from A4 sheets of paper. It is probably the most common and consumed media used for carrying information today. This is why we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper."
(Callesen, Peter. Distant Wish. c. 2006.
Acid-Free A4 115 gsm paper and glue.)
"By taking away all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white A4 paper sheet for my creations, I feel I have found a material that we are all able to relate to, and at the same time, the A4 paper sheet is neutral and open to fill with a different meaning. The thin white paper gives the paper sculptures a frailty that underlines the tragic and romantic theme of my works."
(Callesen, Peter. Looking Back. c. 2006.
Acid-Free A4 115 gsm paper and glue.)
"The paper cut sculptures explore the probable and magical transformation of the flat sheet of paper into figures that expand into the space surrounding them. The negative and absent 2-dimensional space left by the cut, points out the contrast to the 3-dimensional reality it creates, even though the figures still stick to their origin without the possibility of escaping. In that sense, there is also an aspect of something tragic in many of the cuts."
(Callesen, Peter. Running Red Poppies. c. 2006.
Acid-Free A4 80 gsm paper, glue, acrylic paint, and oak frame.)
Peter Callesen is a very created and complex artist. His work reminds me of the Kinetic art movement, which emphasizes the mechanical movement within the work of art. His work is very much like a "snapshot" of an action scene. He pays a lot of attention to detail and his work is much appreciated here.
Enjoy :)
