The latest sculptures by artist Kim Simonsson seem to shimmer with life, and the effect is startlingly eerie. His ceramic sculptures depict children, mainly girls, and forest animals — but instead of having a smooth, hard surface like many of his other pieces do, these are covered in a vibrant green flocking that makes them look as though they’re covered in moss.
Although many of the sculptures depict children and animals, their mossy look makes them seem ancient.
Moss Girl
Some are even placed in outdoor settings, where they blend in with moss-covered stones like otherworldly apparitions.
Moss Girl and River
There’s always a slightly menacing undercurrent in these works, regardless of how sweet the subject matter happens to be.
Two-Headed Moss Bunny and Moss Girl
It’s bizarre that such a vibrant covering can look so unsettling. Things covered in moss are static and ancient. These little girls and bunnies are not. “Nothing that is alive stays static long enough to grow moss, but a ceramic figure is frozen in a situation,” Simonsson says.
Sometimes, the mossy creatures accompany other ceramic figures.
Lisa and Louise and Moss Bear
The soft, nylon flocking that looks so much like moss lends these pieces, which are currently on display in New York, a softer, more organic feeling. “My sculptures are usually very sleek and smooth. Pieces [in] Moss People are rougher and more personal. You can see my handprint in them,” Simonsson told TL Magazine.
In terms of inspiration, Simonsson drew from the fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen and the paintings of Edvard Munch, as well as from the Scandinavian folktales he grew up hearing.
Resting Moss Woman
Sleeping Moss Woman with Ghosts
This piece has a shiny metal accent.
Moss Girl with Visor
(via My Modern Met, TL Magazine)
If you’re in the New York area, you can see Moss People in person at the Jason Jacques Gallery through October 28. You can also see more of Simonsson’s work on his website and Facebook.
