Abecita Popkonst & Foto
Mats Andersson's Mother Earth (ca 70 images)
30 january – 4 may 2025, Borås Sweden (Mats Andersson, Anton Corbijn, Lasse Åberg)
"Through my work with my book "Nature Diary" I discovered something new about why I photograph. Or maybe it was nothing new, but more that I became aware that my pictures have a large element of melancholy and maybe even sadness. I realized that my image creation had become some form of therapy during a time when I was not feeling well.
My photography has always been a part of everyday life and most of my prize-winning pictures are made near my home in Sweden. Being able to live as close to nature as we do is a blessing. If I feel like it, I can take the camera and stick out for a few hours and just try to create something interesting without having to get in the car. I really don't feel the need to go on long trips to photograph when we have so much going on here at home. If I travel away, Iceland is probably my favorite anyway. Here you can experience dramatic nature and how new land is born. 2021 when the Geldingalir volcano erupted was a fantastic experience - something I've been waiting to experience ever since 2006 when I visited Iceland for the first time. And here I got the last piece of the puzzle for my project "Mother Earth" - i.e. pictures of how new land is born.
Mother Earth's images are personal and close. In general, it is about our planet - but also my everyday life with thoughts about the meaning of life, joy and sorrow. I also want the images in the exhibition to be open to one's own interpretation. Many images ask questions and force you as a viewer to think twice before you understand the image and the message.”
Mats Andersson's pictures have been described as "Ansel Adams filtered through Anders Petersen" by Sydsvenskan's culture writer 2023. And his black and white art and nature photos have been shown at exhibitions all over the world. At the end of the 80s, Mats studied, among other things, photography at the Konstindustriskolan in Gothenburg. On weekdays, he works as an Art Director and photographer at the advertising agency Concret. He also runs his own company where he holds photo workshops (travels), lectures, has exhibitions, publishes books, etc. Mats has published 13 books and won several international prizes for his pictures and has also been awarded several scholarships, among others by Sweden's Authors' Fund (2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). Mats is an ambassador for the legendary camera manufacturer Leica.