(Exhibition text in English)
’My fabrics should be used. They are inexpensive works of art that can be easily replaced. When – or if – you get tired of them.’
Sven Fristedt’s printed fabrics have also served as works of art. Vast widths of fabric hung on a wall will immediately change a room. However, artistic freedom is limited by the industry’s demand for cost-effectiveness and materials that are suitable for printing. After many years of producing patterns for the textile industry, Fristedt chose to work on his own art. In the mid-1980s, his first solo exhibition with unique works went on display.
Sven works with a variety of different materials to create paintings, textile images, sculptures, and reliefs. For more than six decades, his creativity has resulted in everything from imaginative animal masks and winding foliage to strict, geometric patterns. He prints the textile images himself by hand at Konstnärernas Kollektivverkstad in Malmö.