I am interested in how easily memory can become mythologized after a certain amount of time has elapsed.I find that when I am not working from specific historical memoirs like photographs and notebooks, I unconsciously start filling in the gaps, for memory is in it self a subjective phenomenon. The work takes on a different manifestation than initially intended. Rather than documenting, and archiving carefully and accurately past events, time steps into the equation and distorts and manipulates both the viewer and the artist into believing in something that never (or just to a small extend) took place in reality. Unknowingly the artist can become guilty of false history.I have been creating work based on reminiscences from my childhood years, and the romantic notion of the “olden days.” In a way, I am playing the role of an archaeologist excavating my own subconscious mind, rummaging through layers of nearly forgotten characters, places and artifacts. This is an experiment where I get to indulge in my own nostalgic memories to the fullest. I In my most recent work I mainly focus on a period of my adolescent life between twelve and fourteen. I am finding out what influenced me and governed me as a person growing up, creating a narrative in my work about a person I used to know in real life from my neighborhood. His name is Ægir Svarti or Ægir Djöfla Dýrkandi, which means Aegir the Black or Aegir the Devil Worshipper. Jamie Shovlins and Sophie Calles methodology heavily influence me in my work. The constant tension between, fiction and truth, time and reality play a pivotal part in my work.I was petrified of this boy Ægir when I was growing up. There were rumours surrounding him stating how evil he was, sacrificing his pets on an altar for the devil and countless other mischiefs. In retrospect the rumours far exceeded him as a person, but when you are twelve you are willing to believe the oddest things about your neighbour to break down your dull small town reality.I deliberately make my work using as little visual resource material as possible, counting on my memory of objects, characters and atmosphere to give a believable existence to the narrative. The period of Thrash Metal and early Black Metal along with objects such as: long hair, leatherjackets, patches and army boots are all subjects of reverie. All these things become familiar characters in the narration of my work. Eventually my nostalgia starts to morph into a longing to rekindle moments of teenage angst and juvenile delinquency.My painting method mirrors my subject in an obvious way. I use fluorescent acrylic grounds underneath a glaze of dark oil color. Then I rub away revealing the light underneath, excavating gradually my memory of past things. This process forces me to work fast because I am competing with the oil drying; hence not allowing my self to go into specific details in the painting.I am looking at several artists as references for my work, all of which are dealing with similar subject mater and concepts i.e. Memory, nostalgia, longing, history and false history. The notion of repetition and obsession is also evident in the work of these artists. Among these artists are again, Jamie Shovlin and Sophie Calle who frequently deal with our perception of history and truth. Mike Kelley’s and John Strutton’s interest in sub cultural iconography. Luc Tuymans and Eithne Jordan use a similar anemic palette of faded colours, which stimulates the memory of the viewer, or it’s failure. Steven Shearer for his exploration into heavy metal youth culture, Jeff Wall and Richard Prince’s role in redefining voyeurism in contemporary art, and Joe Coleman’s obsession to mythologize the villains of this world.It is also important for me to explore popular culture and cover art from the late eighties and early nineties, primarily the imagery surrounding heavy metal culture. Artists that were influential forming this era were among others: Joe Petagno, Larry Carrol, Derek Riggs, Edward Repka and Dan Seagrave,