Bio

That hustle, that democratic dance, that parade which the works of Kaspar Oppen Samuelsen constituted the theater is affected by a gentle and slow metamorphosis. The boundary between the dynamic surfaces resulting from an initial disintegration of the drawing, followed by a fleeting coloring as well as an arbitrary and abstract reassembly and the most delicate line that caresses idyllic scenes, seems to become impalpable and silky. Everything is hinted at and at the same time full of its identity and the rhythm becomes cadenced and enthralling like that of a Bolero. The tree is yellow, burnt by its sun and its leaves are lost on the canvas as if the essence had already been given away by the stroke; the animal is spotted and amused; the woman is lying and vacillating—her breast harmonious; the flower kisses the cloud; the branch is the color of the sky; a child merges with a ball and crab.

The visual language is always tight, each element present in the works is in a perennial and tortuous dialectic with all the other elements in play. Each thing becomes the other, the hand becomes foot, red becomes yellow; and each fragment refers to the entire drawing, everything is linked, and everything is also left to be and to manifest itself for what it is. Oppen Samuelsen's aesthetic approach is very close to the concept of “otherness,” strongly defended by the French philosopher Emmanuel Lévinas for whom the relationship with the other—in this case Lévinas refers to the relationship between two subjectivities—can only be explained in terms of a communication that lets him be other, indeed it is in the magnificence of otherness that the mystery of life resides. What makes this conception interesting in Oppen Samuelsen's work is the extremity of this concept of otherness as it refers to all things, to all the ways in which being manifests itself.

- Domenico de Chirico, Milano April 2. 2021 (Translated from Italian to English by Vashti Ali)

CV

Born 1977 in Denmark
Lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark


EDUCATION

2008 – 2011

MFA. Fine art. Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Copenhagen, Denmark.

2000 – 2003
BFA. (Hons.) Fine art and contemporary critical theory. Goldsmiths College, University of London, United Kingdom


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023
I Warp and I Wait, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2021
Goodbye Horses, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2019
Te med Vand fra Den Varme Hane, Jacob Bjørn, Aarhus, Denmark

2018
While the Others got Composed, the Foot and the Dial went for a Stroll, Viborg Kunsthal, Viborg, Denmark

2017
Fugl på Line, Politikens Forhal, Copenhagen, Denmark

2016
Broken Dial, Bendixen Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ants play man to sleep in soft concerts, with Marie-Louise Vittrup, Treignac Projet, Treignac, France
Primavera Exoskeleton, Jacob Bjørn, Aarhus, Denmark

2015
Hvad gør vi, når vi lander?, LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Commissioned work for VIA University College, Aarhus, Denmark.

2014
Commissioned work for The Court of Western Denmark, Viborg, Denmark

2013
Luring a Giant, LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark

2012
Mænd og ænder, Tranen Contemporary Art Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

2011
Village Paradise, LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark

2010
I begyndelsen var der noget og i slutningen var der noget andet, men kyllingen har en flot mave, så vi går en god tid i møde, BKS Garage, Copenhagen, Denmark

2009
Rytterknas, Galleri Esplanaden, Copenhagen, Denmark

2006
Body-Double, Koh-I-Noor and Lokale 20, EDB Erindring, Copenhagen, Denmark
Greengrass display, Bingohallen, Vestergågades Passage, Copenhagen, Denmark

2004
Fedex Young Contemporaries, House Gallery, Camberwell, London, United Kingdom
Nth Art Exhibit 001, OLS&CO, Arsenal, London, United Kingdom

2003
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, House Gallery, Camberwell, London, United Kingdom
Squat, Sales des Fetes, Avenue Charlotte, Oberkorn, Luxemburg
Goldsmiths Degree Show, Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London, United Kingdom

2002
Art Below Zero, Notting Hills Arts Club, Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom
Restoration, The Crypt, Deptford, London, United Kingdom

2001
Blinkered, Goldsmiths College, London, New Cross, United Kingdom

1998
Killing Fields, Spray Exhibition, The Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Galleri 12, Danmarks Radio, Aarhus, Denmark


SELECTED GROUP EXIHIBITONS

2022
V1 XX - Twenty years of V1 Gallery, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2021

Lampadephoria, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2020
Today’s Special #5, curated by Mikkel Grønnebæk, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2017
The Liquid Sheep feat. Peninsula Extras, with Marie-Louise Vittrup, in They Call Us The Screamers, 15th edition of TULCA
Festival of Visual Arts, curated by Matt Packer, Connacht Tribune Print Works, Galway, Ireland
Horses, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

2008
The [weit], NLH space, with Marie-Louise Vittrup, Copenhagen, Denmark

2000
Forårsudstillingen, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

1999
Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling, Den Frie, Copenhagen, Denmark
Forårsudstillingen, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

1998
Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling, Den Frie, Copenhagen, Denmark


SELECTED ART FAIRS

2022
Art Herning represented by V1 Gallery, Herning, Denmark

2021
Market Art Fair represented by V1 Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden

2018
Art Herning, (1. Feb. – 3. Feb.) represented by Jacob Bjørn, Copenhagen, Denmark

2017
CODE Art Fair, (31. Aug. – 3. Sep.) represented by Printers Proof, Copenhagen, Denmark
Art Herning, (27. Jan. – 29. Jan.) represented by Printers Proof, Copenhagen, Denmark

2016
CODE Art Fair, (26. Aug. – 28. Aug.) represented by Printers Proof, Copenhagen, Denmark
Volta12, (13. June – 18. June), LARM (DK) and Pablo´s Birthday (US), Basel, Switzerland

2015
Solo presentation at Market, (17. April – 19. April), represented by LARM, Stockholm, Sweden

2013
Volta9, (10. June – 15. June) represented by LARM, Basel, Switzerland
Art Herning, (Jan. 25. – Jan. 27.) represented by LARM, Herning, Denmark

2012
Art Copenhagen, The Nordic Art Fair, (14. Sept. – 16. Sept.) represented by LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark
Volta8, (11. June – 16. June) represented by LARM, Basel, Switzerland
Art Brussels, (19. April – 22. April) represented by LARM, Brussels, Belgium
Art Herning, (27. Jan. – 29 Jan.) represented by LARM, Herning, Denmark

2011
Art Copenhagen, The Nordic Art Fair, (15. Sept. – 18. Sept.) represented by LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark
Solopresentation at Volta7, (13. June – 18. June) represented by LARM, Basel, Switzerland

2010
Art Copenhagen, The Nordic Art Fair, (17. Sept. – 19. Sept.) represented by LARM, Copenhagen, Denmark
AWARDS

2013
The Rockwool Prize

2011
Nordic Art Talents

2010
Hielmstierne-Rosencroneske Stiftelse rejselegat

2009
Tegneinspektør Søren Chr. Jensen og Hustrus Hæderslegat


GRANTS

2018

Dronning Ingrids Romerske Fond
Danish Arts Council (Production)

2017
Danish Arts Council (Production)

2016
Danish Arts Council (Production)

2013
Danish Arts Council (Production)
Ragnvald og Ida Blix’ Fond

2012
Dronning Ingrids Romerske Fond


PUBLIC REPRESENTATION

VIA University College, Århus, Denmark
The Court of Western Denmark, Viborg, Denmark
VIA University College, Holstebro, Denmark
Nykredit Bank, Copenhagen, Denmark
Nordvangskolen, Glostrup, Denmark
University of Copenhagen, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, Denmark


PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Ny Carlsbergfondet
Statens Kunstfond
Vejen Kunstmuseum
Ole Faarup Collection


COLLABORATIONS

2012

Collaboration with designer Stine Goya. Artist print on silk dress. “Flowerheaded rider on pink and turquoise horse”. The Carla dress.


RESIDENCIES

2019

Ludvig Preetzmann-Aggerholm og Hustrus Stiftelse, 3 Rue de la Perle, 75003 Paris, France. (1. Dec. – 31. Dec.)

2018
The Danish Institute in Rome, VIA OMERO 18, 00197 ROMA, Italy. (1. Sep. – 30. Sep.)
Danish Art Workshops (1. Jan. – 28. Feb.)

2016
Treignac Projetc, 2 rue Ignace Dumergue, 19260 Treignac, France. (1. July. – 31. July.)

2012
The Danish Institute in Rome, VIA OMERO 18, 00197 ROMA, Italy. (1. Oct. – 30. Nov.)

2010
The Danish Institute at Athens, Herefondos 14 – Plaka – GR-105 58 Athens, Greece. (1. March – 30. March.)

Selected Works
River no. 11. 2022
Gouache on canvas collage in floating oak frame
45.5 x 60 cm
River no. 12. 2022
Gouache on canvas collage in floating oak frame
45.5 x 60 cm
Goodbye Horses. 2021
INSTALLATION VIEW
v1 gallery
GOODBYE HORSES #11. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
139 X 206 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #12. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
139 X 206 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #10. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
206 X 139 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #9. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
206 X 139 CM
Goodbye Horses. 2021
INSTALLATION VIEW
v1 gallery
GOODBYE HORSES #3. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
43 X 33 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #1. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
43 X 33 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #7. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
46 X 61.5 CM
GOODBYE HORSES #4. 2021
GOUACHE, PENCIL, GLUE, PAPER- AND CANVAS COLLAGE ON CANVAS IN FLOATING OAK FRAME
46 X 61.5 CM
Goodbye Horses. 2021
INSTALLATION VIEW
v1 gallery
Untitled #2 (Tea with Water From The Hot Tap). 2019
Gouache, pencil and glue on canvas
134 x 197.5 cm
Untitled #1 (Tea with Water From The Hot Tap). 2019
Gouache, pencil and glue on canvas in floating oak frame
139 x 209 cm

Store

Untitled #3. 2017

Kaspar Oppen Samuelsen

Untitled #3. 2017

£239
Goodbye Horses. 2021

Kaspar Oppen Samuelsen

Goodbye Horses. 2021

£12
Untitled #4. 2017

Kaspar Oppen Samuelsen

Untitled #4. 2017

£239