EMBRACING DARKNESS

with Elias Forberg.

Monday Studio presents an intimate exploration of Norwegian artist Elias Forberg's provocative and deeply personal art.

Through the lens of vulnerability, raw emotion, and bold experimentation, Forberg invites audiences to delve into the darker aspects of the human psyche. His work is unflinchingly honest, offering a visual dialogue that is both unsettling and profoundly moving.

A Life Shaped by Creativity

From a young age, Elias demonstrated an insatiable drive to create.

Reflecting on his childhood, he shares:

"My mother loves to tell this story from when I was in kindergarten. While the other kids came out with one proud drawing each, I would run out with 10 or 20. That’s always felt representative of me - this overwhelming need to create."

Elias’ journey as an artist began in earnest during an all-night painting and drawing marathon at a creative collective five years ago. It was a pivotal moment that solidified his commitment to art as a transformative force in his life.

Confronting Darkness

Elias’ art thrives in the tension between chaos and control, shame and redemption.

His works are often created during periods of emotional upheaval, when, as he puts it:

"I work best when I’m at my worst personally. When I need to escape, express, scream, or disappear. It’s hard to connect with those emotions when life is good and the sun is shining. But when life is dark and depressing, that’s when I’m closest to my feelings and thoughts, and the need to express myself is strongest."

This raw emotional connection manifests in pieces like "Kirkebrann," where tar and burnt wood recreate the scent and texture of a burned-down church. The work immerses viewers in an atmosphere of destruction and introspection.