Markus Åkesson wraps his subjects in fabric to create these unique portraits

2021-05-05

Swedish artist Markus Åkesson wraps his subjects in elaborately patterned silks and satins, leaving only the impression of their faces, limbs, and torsos visible. He continues to explore repetition as well as unsettling feelings evoked by being wrapped up with fabric through these latest paintings from his Now You See Me series that are an extension of previous work. By completely covering them, he created a sense of secrecy where they no longer looked like themselves but became part of the painting itself with its own sub-narrative within it for viewers to discover – “I started telling stories embedded inside patterns.”
Åkesson’s pieces are more than just pretty prints; they have a much deeper meaning. He designs the traditional, florid motifs that he uses to clothe his models before posing them for disturbing portraits. “I always been interested in patterns,” Åkesson tells Colossal. “I am drawn to repetition and rhythm.” This fascination with symmetry led him into painting scenes of people who were surrounded by different surfaces and materials-eventually becoming completely covered themselves and their surroundings.

Website: https://markusakesson.com/, www.instagram.com/markusakessonvisual/