It’s been four years since Mats Andersson published his acclaimed book “Nature Diary” – and now another book is coming – his 13th publication.
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Mats Andersson’s “Mother Earth”
– a nature photography book that is unlike any other in the genre
It is undeniably a different nature photography book, and one of the photographer’s trademarks, where he works with diptychs communicating with each other across the spreads, is easily recognisable. The format is large (36x52 cm), which gives a great experience as many images are really large. The pages are interspersed with creative collages and sometimes images over the entire spread, which then becomes a full 70x50 cm.
PERSONAL AND CLOSE
Despite the book’s title, this book is also a very personal book.
– In a wider sense, the book is about our planet (Mother Earth) but it also contains bits and pieces from my everyday life, thoughts about the meaning of life and the joy and sorrow we experience as human beings. I also want the book to be open to interpretation, says Mats.
As Andersson’s previous books, the new one is also open to interpretation, dark and mysterious. Many pictures ask questions and force the (me as a) viewer to think twice before she/he (I) understand(s) the picture and the message.
The introduction, which is written by the photographer himself, we learn about his father’s passing and how much he meant, among other things.
“My father inspired me to both start taking photographs and start running marathons. We had an extremely good relationship – we were more like friends. I still miss him very much since he passed away. Hardly a day goes by without me thinking about him. Saying farewell in the hospital, seeing his white hands folded across his chest, and then realising when I went home that it was the last time I saw him, was devastating.”
– Of course, my father's passing in 2019 has affected how the book looks. The last photo in the book is a picture I created for my father when he was alive. It is also photographed at Ekhagen, where he lived. The image of the little spring flower in front of the big dark oak took on a completely differ- ent meaning when he passed away. I also chose to illustrate the picture with a quote from the artist Edvard Munch - a quote that is both scary and beau- tiful at the same time says Mats;
“From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.”
SCHOLARSHIP MADE THE BOOK POSSIBLE
In 2019, Mats was awarded the three-year work grant from Sveriges Författarfond and work on the book took off immediately.
– It means so much to receive both recognition for my previous books, but also the financial means that enabled me to continue working. The last pieces of the puzzle for the book fell into place in 2021 when I got to experience the volcanic eruption in Iceland. To me this is the ultimate proof of how the world was born and how it continues to evolve. I was really lucky to get there on time and also got exactly the pictures I wanted. The opening text was actually the hardest part for me to create, but I’m more of an image creator than a text writer, Mats concludes with a laugh.