Many would argue that at its core, the purpose of art is to inspire a reaction. Many artists inspire contemplation or deep thought with their creations. Some artists inspire joy, some inspire fear, some inspire disgust or desire. Swedish motion designer Wannerstedt’s artwork inspires human satisfaction at its purest form, meeting an intrinsic need that many of us did not know existed.
A meditative moment during your daily scroll, Wannerstedt’s hypnotizing creations provide a much needed break from the constant noise and chaos that we’ve become accustomed to. Perfectly synchronized mechanics and interactions speak to a sense of calm and order that we commonly seek out. Industrial inspirations and soft aesthetics help maintain a sense of reality and portray a soothing truth.
Since Wannerstedt’s inception of the “oddly satisfying” animated loop genre a few years ago, we’ve seen many dive into and explore the growing genre. It’s not completely clear what makes these animated loops so satisfying, but one thing is for certain: Once you start watching, the “oddly satisfying” loops of Wannerstedt, it will be nearly impossible to turn away. If you dare to dive down the rabbit hole of mental satisfaction, Wannerstedt’s viral Instagram page is an excellent place to begin.
Beyond the 2nd Dimension
A natural born artist, Wannerstedt discovered his love of 2D animation in high school. He dedicated himself to mastering the many tools needed to help turn his creative visions into realities. A few years later, he enrolled in a Digital Media program through Hyper Island school in Sweden, which eventually landed him in an eight month internship at a creative communication studio called Exopolis in the city of stars, Los Angeles, California.
It was during his time at Exopolis that Wannerstedt was introduced to 3D animation, and you could say the rest was history. Looking back, Wannerstedt credits his time and learnings during this internship for pushing him in the direction of his own distinct style.
All practical skills are self taught and it’s really my passion for digital art, in combination with a lot of practice and patience, that has taken me to where I am now.
Upon his return and eventual completion of his studies, Wannerstedt dove into the world of freelance animation, beginning with a focus on 2D animation (primarily for websites) that transitioned in 2007 to a full embracing of 3D design.
In his 20 years of animating, Wannerstedt has achieved great personal, artistic and professional success, all of which has been intertwined to a certain degree. Wannerstedt has completed commissioned projects for the likes of Google, Adidas, Ikea, Spotify, Absolut Vodka, Omega, Swarovski, Gucci, Burberry, COS and more. His artwork has been viewed by millions of people around the work, and been highlighted on Behance Network, Designboom, Stash Magazine, Fubiz, Vimeo Staff-Pick, 9gag, UNILAD, VT, Huffington Post, Business Insider, LAD Bible, FWA, Designcollector, and Mindsparkle Mag among others. He is currently having a major solo exhibition at Erarta, the largest private museum of contemporary art in Russia, located in St.Petersburg. Other recent exhibitions include WEIRD SENSATION FEELS GOOD at ArkDes at Moderna Museet in Stockholm (2019–2020), the Emotional Art Gallery exhibition across the city of Stockholm (2019)and the Volvo Art Session in Zurich (2018).
Perfect Synchronicities
Wannerstedt’s creations undoubtedly embody the idea of contemporary motion art, not only in purpose but also in presentation. At its core, his artwork is influenced by modern society and digital means of consumption. Both the digital medium in which Wannerstedt works within and the social media platforms which have served as a main source for consumption of Wannerstedt’s artwork are inherently modern. Much of his work incorporates abstraction and surrealism while remaining anchored in reality. Nature and the world around us serves as a constant inspiration for Wannerstedt.
Wannerstedt aims to add a whimsical, entrancing twist to everyday art forms such as interior design and architecture. By doing so, he evokes an additional layer of sophistication while simultaneously adding a sense of fun and playfulness.
Timing and precision are key elements in my animations, since most of them are based upon the idea of flawless synchronisations between different objects.
Synchronicity and rhythm are at the center of his animations which highlight perfectly seamless interactions between objects varying in size, shape and overall form. His keen sense of suspense as it relates to motion helps Wannerstedt and his creations stand out from the crowded space of visual stimuli. A delicate dance between these objects and their environments is portrayed, offering viewers a sense of deep satisfaction from a sense of perfection in movement. His artworks reveal a portal into the perfect world of physics, movement, and predictability.
Coexistence
These artworks, as well as most of my artworks, are greatly influenced by interior design and architecture, but I wanted to add a touch of playfulness to it, especially when it comes to the motion. I always get inspired when I see a group of small objects, moving in wave like patterns and I knew I wanted to use this as a backbone for a 3D sculptures.
For his latest series release, Wannerstedt is pushing his means of modern day creation and subsequent consumption to the next level. For the first time ever, Wannerstedt will be releasing his creations within the blockchain art world, a growing art movement with digitalization and democratization at its core.
This series, Coexistence, is centered on balanced interactions between opposing entities. Like many of his past creations, architecture and interior design, serve as major sources of inspiration, yet these artworks dive deeper focusing intently on small aggregations of dynamic objects coming together to portray a larger, wavelike sense of movement and dynamism. These oddly satisfying four artworks relay the sense of synchronicity and balance that Wannerstedt has become celebrated for, while adding additional elements of complexity that highlight his undeniable technical ability. The hypnotizing effect which is present across Wannerstedt’s work is at full force in this mesmerizing series that pulls viewers in and provides them with a sense of unshakeable ease and contentment.
All artworks are available for sale exclusively through MakersPlace.
Wannerstedt spoke with our Community Manager, Aisha Arif, to discuss his past works, inspiration and the upcoming Coexistence series.
Check it out below!
The Cutting Machine
This surrealist interpretation of an actual pasta, replaces the pasta with pastel goo for a hypnotic moment of visual ASMR.
Editions: Ten (last edition will be sold as auction)
Pricing: 0.65 ETH per edition
Coexistence: Spiral
A variety of forms, including a smooth spiral and army of metallic pegs, seamlessly move in perfect synchronization. The spiral acts as a focal point in this creation as it delicately circumvents the lively pegs. Despite a few, seemingly, close calls the objects never stray from their rhythmic pattern.
Editions: One
Pricing: Accepting offers only, Reserve of 4 ETH
Coexistence: Levitate
A dynamic, perfectly timed dance between a swinging pendulum and a lively aggregation of metallic pegs. This creation highlights principles of physics and movement through an interplay of distinct objects eventually coming together. The end result being a mesmerizing visual pattern you can’t look away from.
Editions: One
Pricing: Accepting offers only, Reserve of 4 ETH
Coexistence : Hide
The inverse of Levitate, Hide depicts the same objects moving in an opposite manner. This subtle switch has a not so subtle effect on the creation as a whole, transforming the lively, jumping pegs into vigilant avoiders who’ve memorized the pendulums movement in order to rhythmically respond.
Editions: One
Pricing: Accepting offers only, Reserve of 4 ETH
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