Visual Artist
Artist Statement – Carsten Krogstrup
The painter Carsten Krogstrup is one of the very few contemporary artists in Denmark interested in realistic figure painting. He presents the figure, the light and the narration in classical clair obscur, as if it had been Vermeer in Holland (1632-1674) or Rembrandt himself (1606-1669), but in an up-to-date style with motifs in a contemporary context.
Throughout art history, the woman has been portrayed and interpreted.
The mother made sublime, glorified as the Madonna and Child, is a classic motif that Carsten Krogstrup’s Natasha paintings respond to.
The dolls are chosen with the psychological narrative of the woman and child in mind. Together with the nude model Natasha, a very strong effect is achieved when she holds out the lifeless dolls when they are placed on her lap or when they occupy the space around the woman on the bed in a mandorla form, as seen in the motif Natasha as Venus. It seems that the substitutes contain something secretive. See for example the motif The Light and the motif Childhood.
– What is happening or not happening in the relationship? Perhaps especially the latter?
Social heritage plays a role, we are on the fringes of society, in the backyard, but the motifs are not as such set in a social realist context. Carsten Krogstrup manages to portray a distance, an existential loneliness that eats into the bones.
Early in his career, Carsten Krogstrup was inspired by artists such as the American Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) and the Swedish Ola Billgren (1940-2001) to create realistic paintings. He has found motifs in the reflections of the metropolis and remote peripheral areas, in abandoned cars in the embrace of nature and marginalized subcultures. In decay and destruction, he finds the disturbing content that gives the paintings their edge.
There are references to Danish Michael Kvium (b. 1955) and his distinctive human figures, as well as input from his teacher at the Jutland Art Academy, Anders Kirkegaard, and his colleague Erik Mortensen, who along the way have been the artist’s partners in dialog developing the painter’s distinct language, such as the series The Place I Left Behind, Obsession, Submission and Dream. Other sources of inspiration are Lucien Freud (1922-2011) and Egon Schiele (1890-1918), who worked expressionistically in their portrayal of people and model studies, but with the same dystopian psychology. Francis Bacon (1909 – 1992) inspired the Racing series, the suite of beloved but diabolical-looking Greyhounds, from which the demonic touch is continued in the figure portrayals of Natasha.
Carsten Krogstrup’s motifs challenge the viewer with their ambiguity, his flair for demonic elements, combined with the excellent aesthetics that characterize the artist’s passionate work while exploring the layers of existence. Krogstrup pushes the viewer’s comfort with the simultaneously beautiful and heartfelt compositions, which prove alluring, surprising – and, on closer inspection, deeply melancholic. In addition, the model Natasha has a lot to offer with her interesting radiance under her beautiful long red hair. Natasha’s personal, individual characteristics have just that touch of demonism and melancholy that makes the images of the scantily dressed woman interesting and existentially relevant. As an experience of classical catharsis. What good and evil is at issue here?
Inge Schjødt
CV
Carsten Krogstrup, født 1963.
Education:
1988-1993: Det Jyske Kunstakademi
2019-2020: Master, Portrætfotografi ved Helga Theilgaard
Selected solo exhibitions:
2023: Davis Gallery – Contemporary Art, København
2020: Galerie Platz, Fyn
2003, 2005, 2008, 2011: Galerie Gerly, København
2006: Roskilde Kunstforening Palæfløjen
2000: Torvegalleriet, Nykøbing F
1998: Galleri Catalpa, Nykøbing F
1994: Frederikssund Kunstforening
Selected group exhibitions:
2018, 2022, 2023: Stokrosebanden, Pakhuset, Nykøbing Sjælland
2021: “Den Vågne Drøm”, Bredgade Kunsthandel/Davis Gallery – Contemporary Art
2020: “Den Vågne Drøm”, Sophienholm
1998 – 2010, 2012, 2015 – 2019, 2021: Lys over Lolland,
2012 – 2019, 2021, 2023: Kunstudstilling LF
2017: “Nordic Noir Art”, Rundetårn,
1997 – 2007, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016: Sommerudstilling, Masnedøfortet,
2007, 2009, 2015: Skovhuset, “Realism and Beyond”
2014: Kulturarkaden, Vordingborg, “Stemninger i dansk kunst”
2012: Erotikkens Kunst, Docken, København
2011: Dansk Svenska Kompaniet, Ystad, Sverige
2010: Galleri Clifford, Vejle
2005: Frederikssund Kunstforening 60 år – “En kunstnerkavalkade”
2004: Galerie Beeldentuin, Haag, Holland, gruppeudstilling med Dansk Figuration
2004: Mortensen & Markman, “Photorealistisk”, (Søren Hagen, Dennis Møgelgaard, Roelof de Roo og Carsten Krogstrup)
2003: Næstved Museum, “Det ligner – nyrealismen i dansk kunst”
2003: Mortensen & Markman, “Bybilleder”
2001 – 2006: Art Herning
2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2006, 2007: Art Copenhagen,
2000: Skive Kunstmuseum, “Aspekter af Nyrealismen”
2000: Gallerihusets sommerudstilling, København
2000: Csongrad Galeria, Ungarn,
1994: Galleri Rum 46, Århus
1991: Sommerudstilling, Galleri Ringsted
1989: Anden Biennale for kunstskoler i Europa, Antwerpen
1989: Det Jyske Kunstakademis Jubilæumsudstilling, Kunstbygningen, Århus
Censored exhibitions:
2013, 2019: “Portræt NU”, Det Nationalhistoriske Museum, Frederiksborg Slot
1989, 1992, 1993, 1996: Kunstnernes Påskeudstilling
1993: Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling
1989: Kunstnernes Sommerudstilling
1994: Galleri 12, en censureret udstilling for DR tv
1984, 1986, 1987, 1988: Den Censurerede Limfjordsudstilling
Commissions:
2007: Grundtvig og Marie, et portræt til Næstved Kommune
Portrætter for Storstrøms Amt:
1997: Amtsportrætter for amtsborgmester Poul Christensen
2004: og amtsborgmester Ivan Olsen
Collections:
Statens Kunstfond
Retten i Nykøbing Falster
Rønnebæksholm
Storstrøms Amt
Psykiatrisk Hospital Århus
Kunstforeningen af 1848 Århus
Nykøbing F. Sygehus
Private samlinger Danmark, Sverige, Holland, Frankrig, USA
Selected bibliography:
2023: Natasha – Dæmoner & Passioner, Davis Gallery – Contemporary Art, tekst af Inge Schjødt
2021: Om at være menneske, Kunstavisen, sept./okt. tekst af Inge Schjødt
2020: Mod det uendelige univers, katalog til Den Vågne Drøm, tekst af Inge Schjødt
2017: On the Road Again med de grå ulve, komkunst.dk, nov. tekst af Inge Schjødt
2017: Nordiske stills – Nordic Noir, Rundetaarn, Kunstavisen, okt./nov. forsidehistorie, tekst af Inge Schjødt
2010: 101 Kunstnere – Tom Jørgensen (red.)
2009: Smagen af kunst – på Lolland & Falster, Nethe Plenge
Udfoldet i tid, anmeldelse i Politiken 22. maj 2005 af Peter Michael Horning
2001-2005: Et udvalg af billeder, tekst af Phillip Shiels
2005: Dansk Kunst, tekst af Bent Petersen
2003: Dansk Kunst, tekst af Torben Weirup
2003: Billedkunstnere i Storstrøms Amt
2000: Et udvalg af billeder, tekst af Anders Kirkegaard
Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon, 9.bind
1998: Rundt om Carsten Krogstrup, Kunstavisen, aug./sep. tekst af Bjarne Malmberg
1997: Billedkunstnere i Storstrøms Amt
Scholarships:
2016: Billedkunstrådet i Guldborgsund Kommunes Hæderslegat
2006: Jyllandspostens Legatbolig i Berlin
2001, 2006: Georg Harms Fond
2001: Skandinavisk Forenings Kunstnerkollegium i Rom
Member of:
Billedkunstnernes Forbund
Kunstnersammenslutningen Stokrosebanden
