Mikael Sandblom: Clouds and Waves

Mikael Sandblom, Steer Your Way, 2024, Mixed Media on Aluminum, 24″ x 24″

Mikael Sandblom: Clouds and Waves

October 9 – 20, 2024
Reception: Thursday, October 10, 6:30pm
Artist Talk: Sunday, October 13, 2pm
Gallery 1313, Toronto

Mikael Sandblom’s exhibition Clouds and Waves at Gallery 1313 extends the contemplation of the landscape into a deeper exploration of memory, perception, and the nature of consciousness.

Sandblom’s work is based on extensive observations of the sky and the surface of water, of clouds and waves. Rather than a literal depiction of these phenomena, the artwork represents the experience of sustained attention interwoven with a free-associative state of mind that is induced when you look at nature very carefully.

Mikael Sandblom, Horizon, 2023, UV printed acrylic, Jacquard tapestry, and digital composite on aluminum, 40″ x 16″

Images in the show are derived from photography, 3D software, and other computer graphics. The artwork itself is executed in a variety of media including painting, textiles, and digital prints on opaque and transparent surfaces. The wide variety of modes of representation encourages one to notice the act of reading an image; to become aware of how the depicted subject, and by extension, all reality is constructed in the mind. Coloured thread in a tapestry or a simple graphic of lines can both become waves on water far beyond the surface of the material. Clouds become mountains, cities, and the spaces where the past is recalled and re-enacted.

Mikael Sandblom, Toy Box, 2024, Mixed Media on Aluminum, 12″ x 12″

Contradictory geometries materialize and dissipate, while fragments of memory intermingle with imagined structures. The art pieces embody a form of dream logic, positioning the viewer as an active participant in the creative process.

Approach Sandblom’s artworks as you would observe clouds and waves outdoors. Allow yourself to become immersed in their geometric complexity, and remain attentive to the unexpected pathways your thoughts may explore.

Mikael Sandblom, Wheelbarrow Factory, 2023, Digital Composite on Aluminum, 36″ x 18″

About Mikael Sandblom

Mikael Sandblom is a Canadian artist and entrepreneur. He is a graduate of OCAD and holds a Master of Architecture degree from Dalhousie University as well as an MBA from the University of Toronto. His work is represented in the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Reviews of his work have been published in The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, ARTS Atlantic, Eye Magazine, and The Chronicle-Herald amongst others.

Information about the show at Gallery 1313
Website: mikaelsandblom.com
Instagram: @mikaelsandblomstudio

About Gallery 1313

Gallery 1313 is an artist-run centre in the beating heart of Toronto’s Parkdale village. For over 25 years, we’ve been an anchor in the community, fostering a unique and adventuresome space in which both emerging and established artists can showcase their work. Our inclusive and unpretentious walls have hosted over 8,000 artists, and we are constantly seeking to grow our audience with a blistering rotation of provocative, unpredictable, and disruptive exhibitions occurring throughout the year. Learn more about our past, present, and upcoming shows by visiting our website.

Gallery 1313
1313 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario M6K 1L8
416-536-6778

Website: gallery1313.org
Instagram: @gallery1313
Facebook: @gallery1313

Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday 1pm – 5pm
Sunday 1pm – 4pm

Admission is FREE to all exhibitions.
Galleries are wheelchair accessible.