Kaspar Oppen Samuelsen
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)
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.)
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