The external nature is my birthplace- I am born out of that which surrounds me. Therefore I am also nature. But my nature is special. It permits me to (turn around and) reflect upon that which has created me.
I have been travelling extensively in search of landscapes – in the Arctic and Sahara, in Europe and Asia. On these travels I have come across artifacts that do not belong in landscapes. Man- made objects, abandoned ruins no longer able to serve any human purpose. Some of these ruins have been cars.
These cars possess a potent but wordless presence that fascinates me. But they are secretive. To reveal their secrets I have had to transfer them into new landscapes.
I believe in craftsmanship. Especially in art. My brain controls my hands. But my hands know more than my brain. When I let my hands work, they will obtain results that surprises my brain. In this context, my brain is only the extension of my hand.
I explore the material with my hands. I encounter its resistance. The result is not what I expected. If I tell myself that the result is good enough, I will remain where I am. If I choose to try once more, I will start moving. I then enter into a process in which both I and the material acquire a new form. We are both transformed into something different from what we were before.
My artworks are created under several tons of pressure in a rolling press. Linseed oil and pigments are transferred from the print plates deep into the thick humid print paper, creating rich and subtle colours and textures. The process includes inking the plates and removing the surplus by wiping each plate several hundred times by hand. Three or more plates with different colours are used for each print. The plates are produced on basis of collages made in Photoshop. I work in layers with elements from digital paintings, textures and photos. In an exposure- and etching process the images are transferred to print plates. I then work the plates with burnishers, scrapers and sandpaper to obtain the final result.
Terje Risberg