Entangled Introductions - American Swedish Institute Residency and Solo Exhibition
Sonja Peterson will create a retrospective exhibition of past work that draws on images offloral and fauna in reference to systems of the environment including agricultural systems. The work will support a large piece that explores the Swedish Kurbit seen throughout Swedish Dala painting. The imagery found throughout this style of decorative painting originally came from the story of Jonah being cast out to the desert outside ofNinevah (where the tower of Babel was built). He only survives because of akurbit plant that grows enormous to shelter him from the sun and provide food for nourishment.
Sonja’s installation will explore how these stories and how this became the central iconic decoration in all ofDala Painting
Sonja will also spend the month of February as an artist in residence, creating a cut piece that references or includes within some painting by her own mother, Bobbie Peterson, who was fairly involved with ASI and an artistic treasure on her own. She dedicated her life to the preservation and history ofDala painting.
