Over the last two decades, Troels Carlsen has developed a painting practice, in which canonical art historical subjects are transferred to otherworldly realms. Paintings beyond dreams with intentions too deliberate to be labeled Surrealist. His work incorporates nineteenth-century anatomical drawings into the world of his painting, resulting in visceral assemblages of hybrid figures. Carlsen’s archival impulses which connect such seemingly disparate references spring from a nearly forensic interest in how images are made, and how our understanding of the world is constituted by images in a symbolic as well as a literal, bodily sense. Carlsen’s interest in image creation explores how we recognize- and idealize both ourselves and others with romantic introspection.
Born 1973
Lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
NECTAR OF RUINS, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
2022
Bloomerang, Eighteen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Swirl, Chart Art Fair, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019
Reverie, Eighteen, Copenhagen, Denmark
2018
ATLAS, Galerie Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin, Germany
2017
The Colossal Language, (Special Project), CHART, Charlottenborg,
Copenhagen, Denmark
From The Well of Components, Politikens Forhal,Copenhagen, Denmark
Otherworld, Eighteen Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2016
Don't You Know You're Life Itself, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2015
Guilty Pleasure, V1 Gallery – the Depot, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Remains of Disappearance, Foundation Aldega, Amelia, Italy
Insight & Illusion ( Retrospective), Museum Krydsfelt, Skive, Denmark
2014
The Ten Thousand Things, Y Gallery, New York,USA
2013
Mute Appeal, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2012
Sipping From the Mirror, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2011
My Life Has It, Galeria Valle Orti, Valencia, Spain
Fate Takes a Hand, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2010
Edition Artist, Volta Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Man You All, Galerie Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin, Germany
2009
Volta NY, solo w. V1 Gallery, New York, USA
2008
At Most Sphere, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2006
Ape Savant, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2003
So Why So Sad, Gallery Chips, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002
Troels Carlsen Solo, Revolver Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS AND FAIRS
2022
V1 XX - Twenty years of V1 Gallery, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2021
Lampadephoria, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2020
Art Herning, Group presentation with V1 Gallery, Herning, Denmark
MINE IV, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019
MINE III, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Birds, CHART Art Fair with V1 Gallery, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark
2017
Horses, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen Denmark
2015
V1 Gallery at Art Herning 2015, Herning, Denmark
2014
My Treasure – Art in private collections, Holstebro Museum of art,
Holstebro, Denmark
Et Brask Spark, Works from an art collection by art collector Jens Peter Brask, Munkeruphus Museum, Denmark
Paper, Munch Gallery, New York, US
Django, Franz Pedersen Gallery, Horsens, Denmark
PARC, w. Y Gallery, Lima, Peru
Art Herning, w V1 Gallery, Herning, Denmark
VOLTASHOW, w V1 Gallery, Basel
2013
Summer Reading, The Hole, New York, US
Chicken or Beef ? The Hole, New York, US
In Case We Don`t Die, The Torrance Art Museum, Los Angeles, US
I Killed My Father, I Ate Human Flesh, I Quiver With Joy, curated by Invisible Exports, New York, US
Guerrero Gallery, Nudes, San Fransisco, US
Works of Paper, Davidson Contemporary, New York US
Kill Two Birds With One Stone, Charlotte Fogh Gallery, Aarhus, Denmark
ARCO, w. Galeria Valle Orti, Madrid, Spain
Art Herning, w V1 Gallery, Herning, Denmark
2012
The Armory Show, V1 Gallery, New York, US
ARCO, w. Galeria Valle Orti, Madrid, Spain
MACO, Galeria Valle Orti, Mexico
Art Cologne, V1 Gallery, Cologne, Germany
VOLTA SHOW, V1 Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tonight we won't be bored, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Art Herning, w V1 Gallery, Herning, Denmark
2011
Covers, Dazed & Confused 20th anniversary, Colette, Paris, France
Con Amore-Djurhuus Collection, AROS Museum, Denmark
A Paper Trail, De Warande, Turnhout, Beligium
VOLTASHOW, V1 Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen
Volta, V1 Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
Art Amsterdam, Galerie Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin
MACO, Galeria Valle Orti, Mexico
ArtBrussels, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Belgium
OneShot, Kulturhuset, Ikast. Denmark
Whats He Building In There, Fuse Gallery, New York.
Status – Somewhere Between Position and Condition, V1 Gallery,
Copenhagen, Denmark
ARCO, w. Galeria Valle Orti, Madrid, Spain
2010
Preview Berlin, Galerie Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin, Germany
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
MACO, w. Galeria Valle Orti, Mexico City, Mexico
VOLTASHOW, Officially Selected Artist Edition, V1 Gallery, Basel
Voges Gallery, Paper Moon, Frankfurt, Germany
OneShot, Allmänna Galleriet 925, Stockholm, Sweden (group)
The Mentor Show, Group Larm Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
ARCO, w. Galeria Valle Orti, Madrid, Spain
2009
OneShot, Werkstette Group Copenhagen Denmark
Art Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Edition Copenhagen Retrospektiv 1959-2009, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen Denmark
ARCO, Galeria Valle Orti, Madrid, Spain
ArtBrussels, V1 Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
VOLTASHOW, V1 Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
2008
Destruction of Atlantis, Union Gallery, London, UK
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery booth, Copenhagen, Denmark
ZOO Art Fair, V1 Gallery booth, London, UK
VOLTA SHOW, V1 Gallery booth, Basel, Switzerland
2007
What Can a Desert Island Do?, Seventeen Gallery, London, UK
Mad Love – Young Art in Danish Private Collections, ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Ishøj, Copenhagen, Denmark
Spitting Image, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
ZOO Art Fair, V1 Gallery booth, London, UK
Preview Berlin, V1 Gallery booth, Berlin, Germany
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery booth, Copenhagen, Denmark
VOLTA SHOW, V1 Gallery booth, Basel, Switzerland
Paper Trails – New Adventures in Drawing, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2006
The Gift, Beaver Project, Copenhagen, Denmark
There is a U in Us, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
EXPORTABLE GOODS, Gallery Krinzinger Projekte Vienna, Austria
DNA, (1st prize – installation category), Gallery Edition / Denmark, Sweden, Norway
Preview Berlin, V1 Gallery booth, Berlin, Germany
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery booth, Copenhagen, Denmark
Stay Inn, w. V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
DUNK! i DURUP, Durup, Denmark
Wish You Were Here 5, Gallery A.I.R., New York, US
Stafetten, Første til Venstre, Copenhagen, Denmark
The End, My Friend, Spielhaus Morrison Galerie, Berlin, Germany
3D WONDERS, DUNK!, Copenhagen, Denmark
2005
Lithographies, Edition Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery booth, Copenhagen, Denmark
DNA, Gallery Edition Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Wish You Were Here 2, A.I.R. Gallery New York, USA
Framed, V1 Gallery / Turbinen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Psionic Distortion #2, Plum Blossoms Gallery, New York, USA
2004
Psionic Distortion, Gallery Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
Dagen Efter #2 (The Day After #2), The Danish Radiohouse P2 Kunstmagasinet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Art Copenhagen, V1 Gallery booth, Copenhagen, Denmark
Summer Sucks – Art Rocks, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Wish You Were Here, Gallery A.I.R., New York, USA
Dagen Efter #1 (The Day After #1), P2 Kunstmagasinet Art on Billboards Copenhagen and major cities in Denmark
2003
Revolver Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002
Faces of King Alcohol, Rundetaarn, Copenhagen, Denmark
2001
REMIX en Scene, U. Dybølsbro, Copenhagen, Denmark
1998
TUBE, Kunsthallen Nicolaj, (Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center), Copenhagen Denmark
2000
Codex Moralex, Comic Strip, Månedsbladet Press, (PRESS Magazine)
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Foreign Body Double, Interview, S Magazine, february issue, 2014
Juxtapoz magazine, interview, by Henrik Haven, august 2013
An Obsession With Pier Paolo Pasolini, New York Times, by Holland Cottter,
march 7. 2013
IBYEN portræt,by Nina Peitersen, 2012
New Danish Art, kopenhagen publishing 2009
New Danish Art, kopenhagen publishing 2008
Dødens Kunst, by Nilo Zand Berlingske Tidende (MS), December 21. 2008. PP. 14-19
Dazed & Confused (magazine), by Francesca Gavin, October 17. 2008
Amelia Magazine, by Paul Pieroni 2008, pp. 112-115
Dazed & Confused (magazine), by Francesca Gavin, October 12. 2007
Aberne er over os, by Toke Lykkeberg, Børsen Magasin, August 23. 2007. PP. 20-22
Absurde aber og flammende organer, Politiken, May 31. 2008