Multidisciplinary artist Wessely will host one of Scandinavia’s largest contemporary art exhibits.
There is no singular term to encompass Alexander Wessely besides artist. He is a sculptor, a photographer, a filmmaker, and a director. His work typically deals with the human form, creating a dramatic narrative through silhouettes and contrasts. He has collaborated with artists such as The Weeknd, Rihanna, and Dani Moon. Now, his work is set to go on display at Fotografiska Stockholm as one of the largest exhibitions of contemporary art in Scandinavia. The solo exhibition titled KORTEX will run from May 12-September 17, 2023.
KORTEX, like many of Wessely’s works, is a multi-dimensional experience which brings viewers into a brutalist environment. The exhibition is dominated by marble sculptures, light pillars, photographs, 3D technology, and projections. Through his work, Wessely aims to investigate the concepts of human worship and idolatry in the modern world. He exposes the ephemeral nature of human beings, but also eternalizes them by putting them into stone– inspired by his Greek culture.
“I started working with world-renowned icons over 10 years ago and experienced how they were surrounded by idolatry and adoration.”
As in ancient Greece, Wessely depicts modern icons to explore the relationship between them and their worshippers. “The ego-centric society we live in divides and categorizes people into two groups: people who worship and those who are worshiped. Kortex stands in between, observing the dynamics that connect the two,” explains Wessley. The exhibit will feature a bust of one of today’s most worshiped artists, Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd. Notably, Wessely recently directed the Moth to a Flame music video for The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia.
“I started working with world-renowned icons over 10 years ago and experienced how they were surrounded by idolatry and adoration. As I became more aware of the outer layers around these human behaviors, KORTEX was born. A multifaceted installation that juxtaposes distinct, yet complementary dimensions – the new and the ancient, the surface and the inner core, the object and the concept behind it,” comments Wessely in the exhibition’s press release.
Wessely’s exhibition is to be completely immersive. As Mohamed Mire, Exhibition Producer at Fotografiska Stockholm, says, “we want our guests to be completely enveloped by Wessely’s universe and engulfed by his creations, where raw visual expressions bounce against a suggestive sound landscape.”
For Wessely, he hopes that his work inspires people to dig deep inside themselves and analyze their actions. “I hope this show offers visitors a new, uncensored perspective on human behaviors and the complex mechanisms behind them.”
Images courtesy of Alexander Wessely.
