Swedish artist Axel Brechensbauer (aka “Axel”), now based in Barcelona, Spain, creates playful sculptural objects influenced by his obsession with Tetris and Lego. His geometrical reimaginings of figures, weaponry, vehicles and computers are a mockery of materialistic attitudes and what we consider useful. Many look like Dada chess pieces, a movement that reconciled slightly silly and haphazard art styles for the art’s message. For Axel, this includes a passionate anti-war message, as in his “Proposals” series. Among these works are his “Peace Done”, a statement against killing people with drones directed towards the US Armed Forces, and “A Gift to God”, a devastating bomb only to be detonated by God. Rearranging the shape of things is only one part of Axel’s art philosophy. He lives by a set of 9 rules: “1. Obey optical volumes (instead of volumes) 2. Aim to be in the conflict zone between shapes. 3. Nature is ugly as it is. (nature has to be forced to beauty) 4. Straight & curved can sometimes be friends. 5. Don’t mimic nature. Challenge it. 6. Avoid “S” shapes. 7. Don’t build objects in the same size as yourself. 8. Flat surfaces are essential. 9. Pursuit the ultimate shape.”
