Swedish artist Annika Andersson uses three dimensional weaving and Shibori to create compelling and delicate forms. “I am interested in the bubble as form, metaphor and feeling and this results in soft sculptures in different materials and techniques.”

Firstly where did you grow up and where do you live now? 

I was born in very south of Sweden, just outside Malmö. I have lived and worked in a small village, Tollered, just outside Gothenburg in the southwest of Sweden for the last 27 years. 

What is your background in textiles?

As a crafts person/textile artist, I consider myself partially self-taught. In late 80s I spent a year at the best weaving school in Sweden, Väfskolan in Borås.  A year that has been of great importance for my work ever since.

What is it about textiles as an art form that appeals to you? 

I feel a kind of security with the textile materials while at the same time there are many challenges too. The limitations of the loom spur my creativity and lead me further in my artistic process. In the process of dyeing textile materials I strive to achieve a balance between control and chance. I think there are so many exciting things going on in the world of textile art today and I really love being a part of it.

What techniques do you use?

My main techniques are weaving and dyeing both with equal importance. In recent years I have focused on exploring three-dimensional form in textiles with techniques including 3D shibori and 3D weaving.

How do you describe your work?

My way of working can best be described as continuous exploration, where immersion in a material, theme and/or a technique drives me forward. I often return to the repetitive way of working, the slowness of the process invites both presence and escape, thoughts wander freely.

The theme I have explored for the last couple of years is the bubble. I am interested in the bubble as form, metaphor and feeling and this results in soft sculptures in different materials and techniques. I love exhibiting and I also work with commissions, for example in collaboration with FJ Hakimian Inc in New York, I have been weaving large site-specific rugs of my own design since 2014.

How do you create a piece?

My starting point can vary, it can be a specific technique or material that I want to explore. It can also be a picture, a piece of text or music but I think the most common starting point is a combination of them all. I often start with a writing process where I try to understand in what direction I am heading in. Then I continue with simple sketches and if it’s a new material or technique I also do samples. I often work in series where one work leads to another and I start the process with a new work while finishing another.

I know this is a hard question but how long does a bigger piece take?

Yes, this really is a hard question, perhaps impossible, to answer. It’s difficult to know when a process starts and when it ends. If I should try to estimate the amount of time spent on one of my bigger pieces I would say a couple of months.

What are you most proud of in your art career so far?

Someone said, you are never better than your latest work. I am satisfied that I about 30 years ago made the decision to invest in a life of textile art. I am proud of my two latest solo shows, I think I managed to take my work to a new level and I dared to challenge my inner censor. I am also proud of the 30 square meter big carpet I managed to weave in the beginning of this year, it really was a challenge for a weaver.

Do you have any advice for aspiring textile artists?

Just keep on working with the things that feels right for you. Try to find space for your own time and take your work seriously.

www.textilannika.se

https://www.instagram.com/textilannika/