di Johnny terpot
Tobbe Malm is a blacksmith artist born in Norberg, Sweden, in 1960. Norberg is a small Swedish mining town, where the industry is thought to date from the 12th century. The very earth shook day and night from explosions in the mine tunnels far below the streets. The iron ore was boiled in a blast furnace, the smoke from the huge chimney licking the sky day and night. Malm cites this perpetual presence of heavy industry throughout his childhood as an influence on his work. The constancy of birth and rebirth of substance fascinated him. The towns blast furnace closed down in 1981. Now nature creeps over the crumbling buildings, regaining control over its domain. The inherent beauty in this destruction strikes Tobbe deeply. His work is characterised by explorations into this subject of returning and rebirth.
