Steen Larsen (DK)

Larsen is one of a small group of artists using the mimetic approach in their work – meaning they reflect reality through precision in both detail and expression. Conceptually his work with urban settings centre the tracks mankind leave behind in nature. While driving and traveling in the USA and Europe, Larsen mounts a camera on the windshield on his car and shoots thousands of photos that later serve as sketches for his oil paintings. His photo-based paintings are narratives mimicking a road movie on canvas. Speed is captured at its essences as well as other present-day scenes.

“The motif should always have a tension. It should contain some contradictions that in turn motivate me to make an effort.” This is how Steen Larsen describes his process and the tension that is present in his choice of motifs. The mimetic tradition, whose shoulders Steen Larsen’s works stand on, reproduces our current landscapes with asphalt, architecture and headlights. This seems oddly strange in art – and yet extraordinarily common in a real life.

The artist combines the natural light with the artificial light, and the contrast between tradition and the novel appearance of our landscape conveys the classic relationship between nature and culture. However, the experience of Steen Larsen’s works of cars and landscapes is another case of an expression of a state of mind, which landscape painting has driven in man since the Enlightenment.

The cars in Steen Larsen’s works do not express an interest in the physical object that we see. They should rather be understood as a vehicle, a medium, for stories and new adventures. The car as an object merely opens the door to experiencing a landscape, and the starting point for many of his works is introducing a new and different perspective – a driver’s perspective.

EDUCATION

1984 – 1986
Dartington College of Arts, United Kingdom

1980 – 1983
Den Frie Kunstskole, Odense, Denmark

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2018
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
Galleri NB, Nordic Noir Art, special exhibition with Carsten Krogstrup, Viborg, Denmark
Art Herning, represented by Galleri NB, Herning, Denmark

2017
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
GALLERI V58 pop up, Skagen, Denmark
GALLERI V58, Solo exhibition, Perfect Day, Aarhus, Denmark
NORTH art fair, Aalborg, represented by GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
Rundetaarn, Nordic Noir Art, special exhibition with Carsten Krogstrup, Copenhagen, Denmark
Novado Gallery Jesey City, solo exhibition, New Jersey, USA
Galleri Ramfjord, anniversary exhibition, Oslo, Norway
Van der Plas Gallery, solo exhibition, New York, USA
B-Complex Gallery, solo exhibition, Atlanta, USA

2016
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
Artist Residency at Mana Contemporary Art Center, New Jersey, Solo exhibition, USA
Galleri Ramfjord, 18 Years Anniversary Exhibition, Oslo, Norway
Van der Plas Gallery, group exhibition, New York, USA

2015
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark    
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Come Rain or Come Shine,Viborg, Denmark                                            

2014
HAUPT, Solo exhibition, Nordic Spells,  Basel, Switzerland                                                    
GALLERIV 58, Solo exhibition, Cars landscapes and a kind of Blue, Aarhus, Denmark
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Junkyard, Viborg, Denmark   
Mana Contemporay Art Centre NYC, New York, USA
Galleri Ramfjord, 16 Years Anniversary Exhibition, Oslo, Norway  

2013
Contemporary Art Center Vilnius, Painting and Its Contexts, Lithuania
Galleri NB, IN BETWEEN TREES, Viborg, Denmark  

2012
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, ROAD vol. II, Copenhagen, Denmark
Silkeborg Bad, Solo exhibition, ROAD, Silkeborg, Denmark
Sophienholm, Solo exhibition, ROAD, Lyngby, Denmark

2011
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Parked Dreams, Viborg, Denmark
Elephant Parade, Copenhagen, Denmark

2010
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Roskilde, Denmark
Forum Copenhagen, Art Copenhagen,  Represented by Galleri NB, Copenhagen, Denmark

2009
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Viborg, Denmark
Galleri NB, Art Vilnius, Vilnius, Lithuania

2008
Marziart international Gallerie, Hamburg, Germany
Forum Copenhagen, Art Copenhagen,  Represented by Galleri NB, Copenhagen, Denmark

2007
Galleri NB,  Solo exhibition, Roskilde, Denmark
Rønnebæksholm, Dansk figuration, Holbaek, Denmark
Forum Copenhagen, Art Copenhagen,  Represented by Galleri NB, Copenhagen, Denmark

2006
Galleri NB, Solo exhibition, Viborg, Denmark
Astley Hall Art Gallery, Danish Landscapes,Manchester, United Kingdom
Forum Copenhagen, Art Copenhagen,  Represented by Galleri NB, Copenhagen, Denmark
Art Herning, represented by Galleri NB, Herning, Denmark

2005
Forum Copenhagen, Art Copenhagen,  Represented by Galleri NB, Copenhagen, Denmark
Viborg Stiftsmuseum, Landscapes near Viborg, Viborg, Denmark
Galleri NB, Danish landscape painting, Roskilde, Denmark

2003
Sophienholm, Modern Danish landscape painting, Copenhagen, Denmark
Aarhus Kunstbygning, Modern Danish landscape painting, Aarhus, Denmark

MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS

2005
Halmstad Art museum, The flexible reality, Sweden
Vestjyllands Art museum, The flexible reality,  Tistrup, Denmark
Skive Kunstmuseum, Fantastiske Figurationer, Skive, Denmark

2004
Skive Art Museum, Works from the own collection, Denmark

2003
Skive Art Museum, Solo exhibition, Panorama, Skive, Denmark

DECORATIONS

2011
Brønden, Brøndby Strand, Denmark

2000
HK´s 100 year anniversary, mural in Silkeborg, Denmark
Aarhus Business College, Denmark
Outdoor mural in St. Petersburg , Russia
Vejle Library, Denmark

OFFICIAL PORTRAITS

2002
Professor Erik Hjørting, Tandlægehøjskolen, Copenhagen

GRANTS

2003
Billedhuggeren, prof. Gottfred Eickhoff og hustru, Maleren Gerda Eickhoffs Foundation
George Harms Foundation
2002
Aarhus kommunes kunstnerstipendiat
2001
Billedkunstrådet
1995
Tegneren Anne Gretes Fond
1993
Danidas Rejselegat, (Indien-Nepal)
1992
Danidas Rejselegat, (Indien-Nepal)

ART ACQUIRED BY

2003
Skive Art Museum
1997
HK´s Forbundshus´s permanent collection.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2015
North-Art Magazine nr. 52
2012
”Road”, tekst af Lisbeth Bonde
2004
Dansk Kunst
2003
Dansk Kunst
2002
Vartovbogen
Panorama, tekst af Erik Meistrup
2001
Digt en tiger
2000
Dansk Kunst
1999
Dansk Kunst

MEMBERSHIPS
Danish Visual Artists

Born 1960

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‘Varna’, olie på lærred, 70 x 120, d.kr. 25.000,-

‘Telegraph Hill, San Francisco’, olie på lærred, 80 x 120, 2015, d.kr. 31.000,-

‘Downhill’, olie på lærred, 100 x 120, 2015, d.kr. 34.000,-

‘Afternoon at Potrero Hill’, olie på lærred, 80 x 120, 2015, d.kr. 31.000,-

‘Stop’, olie på lærred, 60 x 90, 2015, d.kr. 19.000,-

‘Mum’, olie på lærred, 40 x 140, 2016, d.kr. 25.000,-

‘Marselis skov’, olie på lærred, 70 x 120, 2017, d.kr. 25.000,-

‘Come rain or come shine’, olie på lærred, 100 x 140, d.kr. 38.000,-

‘Kystvejen’, olie på lærred, 70 x 120, 2017, d.kr. 25.000,-

‘Chr.x’s Vej’, olie på lærred, 70 x 120, 2017, d.kr. 25.000,-

‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 2. generation’, olie på lærred, 40 x 140, samlet pris: ‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 1-4. generation d.kr. 100.000,-

‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 4. generation’, olie på lærred, 40 x 140, samlet pris: ‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 1-4. generation d.kr. 100.000,-

‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 3. generation’, olie på lærred, 40 x 140, samlet pris: ‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 1-4. generation d.kr. 100.000,-

‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 1. generation’, olie på lærred, 40 x 140, samlet pris: ‘Familie med bil 4 generationer – 1-4. generation d.kr. 100.000,-

‘The Couple’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2016, d.kr. 14.000,-

‘The Commuter’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2016, d.kr. 14.000,-

‘The Busker’, olie på lærred, 90 x 120, 2016, d.kr. 30.000,-

‘Christopher Street 8’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 7’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 2 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 6’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 5’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 4’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 3’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 2’, 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 2 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Christopher Street 1’ 47 x 61 (31 x 46), 2016, 1 af 8 d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Endless’, olie på lærred, 40 x 90, 2016, d.kr. 16.000,-

‘The blues’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2015, d.kr. 14.000,-

‘Little Berlin’, Olie på lærred, 40 x 50, 2015, SOLGT

‘Pale Blue Eyes’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2014, d.kr. 14.000,-

‘Three in a Row’, olie på lærred, 100 x 150, 2014, d.kr. 48.000,-

‘Båstnäs Revisited 11’, digitalt c-print, 56 x 73 (38,5 x 58), d.kr. 3.500,- Fås også i format 83 x 112 (58 x 89), 6 af 8, d.kr. 8.500,-

‘Båstnäs Revisited 6’, digitalt c-print, 1 af 1, 82,5 x 112, 2014, d.kr. 8.500,-

‘Bästnäs Revisited 4’, digitalt c-print, 77,5 x 57 (58 x 38,5), fås også i format 74 x 53 (56 x 37,5), indrammet, d.kr 3.500,-

‘Bästnäs 7’, digitalt c-print, edition af 8, 60,5 x 76,5 (38,5 x 58), indrammet, d.kr. 3.500,-

‘RYD 5’, digitalt c-print, 6 af 8, 51 x 69 (35 x 52), fås også i format 77,5 x 57 (58 x 38,5) d.kr. 3.500,-

‘BÄSTNÄS 5’, digitalt c-print, edition af 8, 60,5 x 77 (38,5 x 58), indrammet, fås også i format 51,5 x 69 (34 x 52), indrammet, 5 af 8, d.kr. 3.500,-

‘BÄSTNÄS 4′, digitalt c-print’, edition af 8, 56 x 72,5 (39 x 57), indrammet, d.kr. 3.500,-

‘BÄSTNÄS 3’, digitalt c-print, edition af 8, 60,5 x 76,5 (38,5 x 58), indrammet, d.kr. 3.500,-

‘Triple VW’, olie på lærred, 150 x 100, 2014, SOLGT

‘Rain Road #6’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2014, SOLGT

‘VW Beetle’, olie på lærred, 70 x 140, 2014, SOLGT

‘Reflections’, olie på lærred, 60 x 90, 2015, SOLGT

‘Rain Road ll’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, d.kr. 14.000,-

‘Keep Moving’, olie på lærred, 50 x 70, 2016, SOLGT

‘Tranbjerg syd’, olie på lærred, 70 x 120, 2017, SOLGT

‘Ballehage’, olie på lærred, 90 x 120, 2017, SOLGT