NEW BEGINNINGS

The Danish visual artist Krista Rosenkilde showcases her expertise in transforming spaces into colorful and expressive art in her solo exhibition "New Beginnings" at albert contemporary.
Through a collection of paintings, sculptures, and paper works, Rosenkilde explores the vicissitudes of time and life, inviting the viewer to embark on a journey of self-discovery and new perspectives.
In the exhibition, Rosenkilde draws inspiration from her current life situation, particularly her journey through motherhood and the complexities and transitions in our modern society. Her works reflect the disintegration and rethinking of norms and narratives, planting the seeds for new beginnings.

Rosenkilde's idiom combines details, geometric shapes, figures, and a unique technique that creates a granular texture, giving her works a distinctive tactile character. Her inspiration comes from dreams, folk tales, and occult stories, evoking feelings and moods that she weaves into an ornament of shapes, lines, and colors. Her works blur the boundaries between abstraction and figuration, resulting in almost subjectless pieces that emphasize the total expressiveness of the image.

In "New Beginnings," Rosenkilde explores femininity, gender roles, and politics by depicting women in different roles. She plays with well-known narratives, symbolism, and archetypes in works such as "Venus in Blue," "I Am The Flowers, You Are The Bee," "Resurrection Of Ophelia," and "Anima," challenging the viewer to confront the continued topicality and complexity of these themes.
The artwork of Rosenkilde delves into the realm of visual culture, challenging the dominant views of women that have prevailed throughout history.
"Venus In Blue" is a powerful exploration of the Roman goddess of love, who has long been associated with both fascination and fear due to her sexuality. Through her work, Rosenkilde emphasizes the importance of challenging these symbols and narratives across culture, time, and place.
In "I Am The Flowers, You Are The Bee", gender roles are examined through an insect-like creature with feminine attributes that eagerly pollinate the wildflowers in a spring field. Meanwhile, "Resurrection Of Ophelia" reinterprets Shakespeare's tragic character, who has long embodied the stereotype of the fragile woman without any sense of independence. Rosenkilde's version of Ophelia is nuanced and multifaceted, rising from the water like a mythical creature and challenging the historical marginalization of women.
"Anima", on the other hand, explores the human subconscious by depicting an anthropomorphic being - a human and animal creature. This being represents Carl Jung's theory of the unconscious, with Anima explicitly referring to the male gender's representation of female nature and being. Through this work, Rosenkilde challenges archetypal notions of femininity and sheds light on the complexities of gender roles and identity.

In this way, Rosenkilde creates a space where traditional symbols, figures, and archetypes are broken down, paving the way for new forms, narratives, and facets to emerge.
Therefore, the exhibition is personal and universal, contemporary, and timeless, embracing and transformative. Rosenskilde’s work serves as a reminder of the power of art to challenge, inspire, and transform our understanding of the world.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Krista Rosenkilde (b. 1982) is a distinguished artist who holds a Master's degree in Fine Art from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Her artistic practice encompasses various media, such as graphic prints, sculpture, painting, and collage.

Rosenkilde's artistic approach is marked by a combination of abstraction and figuration, as well as a repertoire of patterns and intricate geometric shapes. Her artworks are characterized by a dynamic interplay of shapes, colors, surfaces, and lines that activate and stimulate the senses. Notably, Rosenkilde emphasizes creating paintings that primarily appeal to the viewer's aesthetic experience rather than their intellectual and analytical faculties.

The artist draws inspiration from 20th-century modernism, specifically cubism, where emotions and experiences were conveyed through non-figurative forms of expression. The fragmentation of the motif and abstraction from a particular time and place are evident in Rosenkilde's works. The abstract element is of particular interest to her as it allows the viewer to feel, experience, and narrate the painting rather than analyzing and intellectualizing it. For Rosenkilde, this is a way to connect the visual expression of the artwork with the viewer's inner life.

Rosenkilde has exhibited her works in prominent galleries and museums. She has had solo exhibitions at Galleri Tom Christoffersen, the Trane exhibition, and the Vendsyssel Art Museum. Moreover, she has participated in several group exhibitions at renowned venues such as the Kastrupgaard collection, Holstebro Art Museum, Heerup Museum, and Vejle Art Museum. Her artworks have been acquired by institutions such as Kunstfonden, Copenhagen Visual Arts Committee, and Politikens Hus. Rosenkilde has also undertaken significant decoration assignments, such as decorating the walls in the Vestre Landsret's jury room.