Paintings and sculptural works are presented in the exhibition “Hocus Pocus Therapy” by artist Peter Larsen (1984) where dreams become reality, and reality consumes a form. The title ”‘Hocus Pocus Therapy” seems to convey a somewhat ironic stance towards the modern pursuit of well-being, but can also refer to the therapeutic element of artistic creation and experience. So why not both?
A duality is present in Larsen’s work. His paintings are often characterized by a playful palette, but also contain a certain air of bleakness and confusion. Scenes of shifting realities, inhabited by colors, patterns and forms. They present us with familiar characters in strange environments, which seem somehow caught between two worlds, as if awake but stuck in a dream.The iconic tiger at the center of attention, a woman feeding a monster between her legs or faceless figures in a chain dance. The subject matter is intentionally easy to describe, but meaning is elusive.
Working with a variety of media, Larsen is specifically interested in the relation of form and content. For him the relation between the two, is never straightforward. We also see this in the sculptural works presented as we find them in the stage between abstract and concrete. Entangled forms and animals with humanoid features. “Hocus Pocus Therapy'' invites its spectators to a glimpse of Larsen's process, where form and figure are not burdened by society’s rigid rules. The work of art overlaps with the work of dreams as form and content are continuously traced from one to the other. Not only through the process of a single work, but over his entire oeuvre
