Dreams and Goals at Västerås konsthall, Västerås

Maria Friberg – Dreams and Goals

[9 Sept -12 Nov] We all have dreams. But the contents of our dreams can be miles apart. Many people dream of having food on the table, shelter, and a safe place to sleep. Others dream about a new mobile, improving their 10 km track record, having lots of friends, or earning respect. Our goals are based on these dreams. Some goals are easier to reach, others are impossible. We live in a goal-orientated society, a media hubbub that feeds us constantly with new information. On what to dream about, what to like, and what goals to achieve. Some of these goals have become so obvious us that we take them for granted and don’t really think about them.

Maria Friberg helps us to see them more clearly. Her photographs reveal social phenomena and structures that might otherwise go unnoticed in our often stressful lives. Mari Friberg’s photography is aesthetically appealing and beautiful. A closer look exposes new layers, an interaction between beauty and something more unsettling. Her pictures address our culture and our society, our lives. The loneliness of man and the overabundance of objects we surround ourselves with are recurring themes.
Her photographs are carefully planned and staged. Maria Friberg works with a team of people who are all experts at what they do, including stage designers, dancers, lighting designers, inventors. She can collect large quantities of one or more materials to build a scene or environment she wants to portray. The exhibition Dreams and Goals gives us an chance to linger, and reflect upon our era.