18 Jul 2010

Eric Olson: Small and Good at Galleri Hornan

Eric Olson's first European solo exhibition is now open at Galleri Hornan in the ancient city of Falun, Sweden. 'The exhibition's title, 'Smatt och Gott', in Swedish means 'small and good,' usually a plate of tasty delights like cakes or small dishes,' according to curator Birgitta Hellstrom, 'which seemed perfect for this broad sampling of Eric Olson photographs.' 

An example is 'Sky, Sliced,' a metaphorical plea for tolerance that presents differing but literally true views of reality into one image.

Recent years have witnessed Eric Olson's growing awareness of the crucial role photography plays in revealing the grandeurs of the world which we inhabit.

Through his lens, he finds hidden art and discloses it. He is a master of composition, often working within seconds to frame a particular vision. He is often inspired by nature's ability to form abstract patterns, exploring detailed and often poetic beauty. Each photograph he takes is a creative event – a vehicle for the mysteries of his subconscious mind and an opportunity to flirt with pure forms, symbols and metaphors.

More than simply playing with the camera, his recordings of his life journey are part of his personal legend – abstracted and holding the promise of dreams, fears, fetishes, fancies, intangibles and wills. They allow the viewer to quietly observe the changing nature of the landscape and document a moment in history where nature is encroached upon, mercilessly in many cases – the power to show us something we may not have seen before. They imply both thought and no thought, a collaboration of mind and spirit.

His colour palette ranges from subtle pastel hues, to groovy neon pinks and lime greens; to primary colours of bright reds and yellows to the ethereal luminosity of the sky. With a painterly eye for detail, he employs atmospheric light to portray the contrast of man's arrogance and vulnerability to the forces of nature.

The images evoke not only the place they were taken, but truly define artistic intelligence. Even in his travels, self reflexivity and self awareness were strong motifs throughout. Eric captures urban vignettes and the rural landscape with equal assurance, giving us a constant parade of images imbued with a sense of lyricism in which abstraction tends to rule.

His precise work combines geometry with free form and bosomy curves. As Eric demonstrates – nature is never rectilinear. Eric's art reflects a painterly view of the natural world which sometimes reaches the sublime. Wherever the location, in his photographs the world appears greater and more wonderful than what it really is – a creative imagination harnessed by intelligent life-skills. At their best, these images look like parables, returning us – for as long as we give our becalmed thoughts to the photographs – to a place where we seem to remember how we once were contented.

Text by Maria Victoria Vivero, Art Consultant and Curator
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Eric Olson's work is exhibited widely and has appeared frequently in prestigious exhibitions such as the annual 'Art of the State,' sponsored by the State Museum of Pennsylvania. Although this is his first European solo exhibition, his work is rapidly gaining recognition in Europe and the Middle East, being sought for additional European venues such as the 2010 International Digital Photography and Art Award at the Museo D'Arte in Chianciano, Italy and the Florence Biennalle 2010, and the Inaugural Exhibition at the Bahrain Financial Harbour Fine Art Gallery in Bahrain.