In the work of Sif Itona Westerberg motives originally taken from antiquity or the middle ages are morphed together in mostly sculptural works and reinterpreted with inspiration from a myriad of styles and times through Westerberg’s contemporary perspective. Meticulously carving out works solely by hand, she arcs back to classical techniques but applies them to contemporary industrial materials. Aerated concrete plays an important part in the material make up of her work along with industrial bolts and screws which often pierce the works to serve as methods of hanging or fixing the works. Together these elements create a stark contrast to her refined technique and the classical source material.

Itona Westerberg investigates the personal, cultural and historical markers which makes up humanity’s collective identity, which through time has defined the way we view ourselves in relation to society, class, race, gender, spirituality and nature. Seeking out myth, historical markers and cultural currents and combining them with our contemporary perspectives and current situation she creates a compiled view on the evolution of humanity and takes stock on where we are currently as a society

Insisting on the interconnectedness of humanity and nature and humanity as being cultivated and existing because of this relation Itona Westerberg’s work bears strong links to the spiritual and natural world. The rise and fall of humanity and a sense of the looming hybris in the light of our global environmental and now also health crisis is an underlying theme permeating her work.

Through reworking classical imagery and morphing it with a multitude of different styles and perspectives Sif Itona Westerberg casts a light on the shadowy, subcultural and suppressed sides of humanity and our society, which in our modern rational world has been pushed aside or ignored.

Sif Itona Westerberg (f.1985) lives and works in Copenhagen. She is a graduate of The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 2014. She has solo exhibited at AROS Aarhus Art Museum (DK), Tranen (DK), Gether Contemporary (DK), OK Corral (DK) among other, and she has participated in group exhibitions at Arken Museum of Modern Art (DK), Malmø Kunstmuseum (SE), Gianni Manhatten (A), Den Frie (DK), Museet for Religiøs Kunst (DK), Bornholms Kunstmuseum (DK), Oluf Høst Museet (DK), Cassandra Cassandra (CA), PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art (RU), Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LV), State Museum and Exhibition Centre ‘Rosizo’ (RU), AROS Triennial (DK). The works of Sif Itona Westerberg can be experienced in the collections of AROS Aarhus Art Museum (DK), Malmø Kunstmuseum (SE) and Ny Carlsberg Fondet (DK).