I was born in Stockholm as the youngest in a family of five. One day when I was little, I heard my mother say to the neighbour woman - Mats shall be an artist he cannot be anything else, unfortunately. And so it happened. Bur whether my choice was motivated because I was talented in art or too untalented in anything else I can’t say but I never regretted my choice. I've worked my whole life with art and never looked back one day. The opportunity to work with art is a privilege.
My artistic studies were conducted at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where I joined the painting. I was young then. My sejour at the Academy allowed me 5 years of intensive self-study. The knowledge of the arts and crafts were gleaned through collaboration with Domenico Inganni and Torsten Renqvist.
At home, we had a large library and music was frequently played. It has made my art unclean, full of literary and musical influences for which I am grateful. My art is contaminated by literature, without being literary.
When I was little I suffered with childhood asthma. It was due to this that my parents took me to Italy for the first time. Italy was a great experience which contrasted to the Stockholm suburb where I grew up.
Italy has since became a second home for me. My wife and I have for several years a very old house there. This house is called Casa Soave and is our base, where we can meet our family, friends and guests and from here we make excursions. There are constant discoveries in terms of nature, food, people and culture. Lombardy is a harsh landscape to work your way in. The proximity to the bronze foundry is important to me. The Italian skilfulness, playfulness and boundless audacity is a complement to the Scandinavian melancholy. I believe that my art benefit from this meeting.
The art that interest me is not necessarily sculpture or painting. I do Chekhov, Ibsen, Shakespeare as much as Rembrandt, Masaccio and Giotto. A filmmaker like Kieslowski affects me strongly. The artists who influenced me most are the ones trying to portray the whole person.
Faced with my own pictures, I can feel a friendship. They have given me a lot and like friends are always there. From close friends you also receive critic. It is such criticism that makes us grow.
Some of my sculptures have arisen in contact with some places while others have simply come to me. I believe that all people experience this. In difficult or joyous moments images come to us. Reality aptly portrays himself. The artist brings forth these scenes from himself so that we can watch them together. Many of my sculptures have come to me as a sudden inspiration. I look at them with astonishment. If they mean something I do not know but they have a visual effect that makes them stick in the memory. Where perhaps they can make a difference.
The works of art speak for themselves. The artist's intent is irrelevant.
Mats Åberg
Biography
Said about Mats
How I Work
