Per Kirkeby artworks and editions

Per Kirkeby was a Danish artist who is one of the most famous contemporary artists in Scandinavia. His artworks and editions are characterized by an incomparable diversity. The techniques he uses are painting, printing, sculpture, poetry, film and architecture. For health reasons, the Dane had to give up painting in 2015. Kirkeby lived in Copenhagen, Arnasco, Frankfurt am Main and on Læsø.

Per Kirkeby earned a doctorate in geology in Copenhagen. This was followed by expeditions to the Arctic, Greenland and a trip to Central America, where he explored the Mayan culture.

As a trained natural scientist, the theme of nature plays an important role in the artist's work, which is difficult to categorize. His large-scale abstract compositions and sketches make the viewer associate natural phenomena, such as waterfalls, rocks or canyons, or other objects of nature. The artist's multiple layers of paint also reveal him to be a geologist.

Today, Per Kirkeby is one of the most outstanding European artists and is celebrated as one of the most important representatives of Danish contemporary art. In addition to numerous worldwide exhibitions, the Dane has participated several times in the Documenta in Kassel and various biennials in São Paulo and Venice. His artworks and editions are represented in countless renowned museums and collections.