Tomas Colbengtson is Sami, the nomadic reindeer-people who live in the northern parts of Scandinavia. In his work, he refers to sami culture, the history and present situation. He is experimenting with combinations of media and material and has developed a new way to print screen prints in overlay glass.
“Culture can be deadly, I often think, when I reflect on my childhood upbringing in a small Sami village in Tärna, northern Sweden. My mother language, sothernsami, was banned to speak in school up until 1957. In plain word: you got beaten up by the teacher if you spoke it. Also the traditional dress and the song ”jojk” was considered ”sinful” by the church up until modern days.
Many of these questions are a starting point in my artworks. Sami culture is closely connected to the nature in Northern Scandinavia so the light and landscape is an important part of my work. I believe everybody can relate to the same questions of identity wherever you come from”
