Lars Christensen - Curved by Air

LARS CHRISTENSEN : Curved by Air

Vernissage in the presence of the artist Thursday March 16th, 6 – 8 PM

Lars Christensen’s (DK, 1972) new series of paintings, “Organic Abstraction”, is a reaction to colors as energy, motion and matter. The organic structure is based on penetrated holes or slits in various sizes in the canvas where color, when pushed through, is allowed to “grow” and reproduce in many forms and shapes. The holes and colors appear as an endless pattern that tightens and expands the space, which establishes the transition between the physical and mental aspects of the images. The relativity of colors, how they interact with the surface and each other, as well as with the interaction of the light and space is explored in the paintings and works on paper.

By applying the paint as form, a movable and manipulable substance and not just as coloring material, the process adds a three-dimensionality, creating a sculptural expression. The work is at the same time painting and sculpture. The square format allows the colors in the paintings to expand equally to all sides and create an organic frame (like a sphere with a center) which dissolves the boundary between space, image and viewer.

With the new series Christensen wants to redeem the act of painting as a “self-thinking organism", an organic object with its own built-in logic, systems, directions and structure, releasing color and energy, simulating nature and life. Nature’s properties are also an important component to the work. Warm air is needed to dry the ”hanging” acrylic paint and the whizzing sound of the fan brings to mind reminiscence of water, air, waves, vegetation, soil, substance, temperature etc… Additionally, minimal music of Steve Reich, Brian Eno, Terry Riley, Phillip Glass and others accompany the investigation of the border between polychromatic and monochromatic expressions on the same support. The result is an imitation of nature and the cosmos, and most importantly, a spiritual and psychological dialogue with the viewer through the hues and substance.

The four 50x50 cm paintings in gold, blue, pastel or black are minimal cosmic impacts. They contain high concentration of volume, weight, colors, similar to planets. These high impact paintings project into the space and give the impression of constant motion due to the pointed perforations of various sizes and monochrome color. In contrast to the larger paintings previously exhibited, Curved by Air is about nature and the finesse of color, hues and light. Density is present but in a delicate form as presented in the shade in the horizontal lines of Color Lines 01, 02 and 03, 2017.

Lars Christensen (DK, 1972) lives and works in Copenhagen. His paintings are in The National Danish Art Foundation, Ny Carlsberg Foundation, Copenhagen Cultural Fund, Nykredit Collection, Denmark and many private collections around the world. His works were presented last September for the first time in the United States at Expo Chicago with great success in a dedicated booth to him and Meg Webster.

He co-curated ”Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks”, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen, in 2008. A catalog of his works was published in 2014.