Narrative is central to the artistic work of Peter Hermansson (born in 1975). Over the past fifteen years, he has brilliantly enhanced and reinvented the traditional Swedish Graal technique. This complex and time-consuming process, developed in the early 20th century at the Orrefors glassworks, involves superimposing layers of coloured glass and creating a parison (a ball of blown glass that is then shaped). Once the piece has cooled, the motif is outlined, then superfluous layers are removed by sandblasting and engraving to form the image. Next, the piece is gently reheated, then blown to its final size on a blowpipe. Inspired by graffiti culture, Peter Hermansson breathes fresh life into this traditional technique. The colours, shapes and motifs of his works give them a powerful presence. His visual world explores the inner conflicts of human beings, oscillating between sugary pastels and strangely distorted, sometimes nightmarish scenes. He creates a surrealist world in which are reflected human fears, desires, anxieties and urges. His technical virtuosity and bold creativity have enabled him to considerably increase the scale of his pieces, while asserting a resolutely contemporary style. These attributes have also ensured him a growing and well-deserved reputation.
Originally from Lycksele, he now lives close to the glass region of SmĂĄland. Present on the Swedish scene since 2009, he has participated in numerous exhibitions, not only in Sweden and throughout Scandinavia but also in France, the US, the UK, the Netherlands, China, Turkey and Australia.