“A Sudden Increase in Mass” by Artist Niklas Asker

Swedish artist Niklas Asker (previously featured here) returns to the foundations of his practice with a series of paintings grounded in the art historical and spiritual references that have continuously informed his work. Thinking of his paintings in three-dimensional terms (as objects existing beyond the boundaries of the canvas), Asker’s images are imbued with weight. This idea of mass, articulated by Einstein, is inextricable from energy.

“As an object’s speed approaches that of light, its mass increases, much like the way in which life sweeps us all into its accelerating motion. Have you ever noticed the sensation of time passing more quickly as the days, weeks, and years go on?”

The collection incorporates personal items that offer a glimpse into Asker’s own life. For instance, many of the objects depicted are shown resting upon the grey table where the artist prepares his canvases and mixes his colours. Acting as self-portraits in a loose sense of the term, Asker’s paintings also retain a universality that resonates across individual experience as they encompass the stories the objects themselves might hold. “A Sudden Increase in Mass” is currently on display at Union Pacific in London until June 21st.