Photos: Elisabeth Ohlson

Handen, Hjärtat och Bältet (Hand, Heart and Belt)

Olof Marsja

Aluminium, wrought iron, the artist’s childhood belt and silver

My work often includes articles of clothing, jewelry or objects that I have used during various times in my life. This means there is often a more or less distinct autobiographical aspect to my sculptures. In ”Hand, heart and belt” the belt is from a time in my childhood when the kolt, the traditional Sámi attire, was mainly the given mode of dress. After people moved to another area, however, this garment came to chafe the body so much it eventually disappeared from their wardrobe. In ”Hand, heart and belt” a rough hand in aluminum reaches out, holding the small boy’s belt with a reindeer heart fashioned in wrought iron hanging from it. Even though the kolt disappeared from the body, its memory remained in the heart. That place which also harbors the adult’s sorrow over the child’s need to choose.