JOHAN VESTIN

INERTIA Recent Works 30.11. - 18.12.2011

Press Release

In a psychological sense the word inertia refers to a person, who is unable to make decisions and alterations in his or her own life. This kind of jamming into one´s present situation has a possible link to depression. It is a chaining state of mind preventing the free flowing of body and mind. Thoughts are circling and insights are lacking. Creativity is drying up, and it seems impossible to express one self. The feeling of exhaustion fills the whole body and movements slow down. One may even feel physical pain.

When I placed myself in front of the staflia powered by this kind of state of mind, vanished every subject I had in mind before my brush even touched the canvas. The finished paintings in the studio corner seemed to become worthless and were gradually covered by all kinds of junk and material. But could depression, the killer of all creativity, be the starting point of an artistic work as well?

Having found a new attitude I continued working. Instead of trying to keep the demon outside the studio, we started to work together. It was not always easy. Clumsy little things happened; while I was nailing, he crooked my nail. I became furious and crooked the nail even more, but afterwards I realized that the nail was quite all right as it was.

Welcome to my exhibition to discover how the threat of giving up turned out to become bursts of creativity.

Johan Vestin

Supported by The Foundation of Eugène, Elisabeth and Birgit Nygrén