Per Kirkeby, born in 1938 in Copenhagen, is considered internationally to be the most significant Scandinavian artist of the present. The versatility of his oeuvre since the early 1960s is staggering: Kirkeby paints, draws and makes prints, he is likewise a sculptor, an architect, a filmmaker and a poet.
His career began in 1957 with a degree in geology in Copenhagen, which he completed with a doctorate in 1964. In 1958 he took part in an expedition to Greenland where he first documented impressions of the landscape in pictorial form. He was intrigued by rock structures and by the structural composition of many other materials, which he investigated through drawing, and from the 1970s, – as components of a complex idea of the landscape – increasingly through his painting.
Colour compositions emerge from these investigations with their own specific visual language of layering and painterly perception. There are associations to nature that sometimes become legible – in elements of landscape, architectural features, hints of flora and fauna – but then become turbidly secretive, darkened in earth-colours or in vegetal patterns. The latter are reminiscent of foliage, grass or lichens, and thus more responsive to perception – often in a mysterious vibration consisting of both structure and a painterly-poetic aura. Kirkeby expresses it far more soberly: “My relationship to the landscape is of a professional kind, but I do see myself as a painter concerned with space who uses various tricks and asks himself what it is that we normally designate landscape.” (Kirkeby in conversation with H.N. Jocks in Kunstforum International, 135/1996).
Alongside numerous solo exhibitions in major museums in different countries, Kirkeby has participated in the Venice Biennale several times, in documenta 7 in 1982, and documenta 9 in 1992 in Kassel. From 1978 to 1988 he held a professorship for painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe and from 1989 to 2000 he taught at the Städelschule in Frankfurt.
Vita
1938
Per Kirkeby is born on 1st September in Copenhagen
1957—1964
Studies Natural history and geology at the University of Copenhagen
1962
Studies at the Experimental Art School in Copenhagen
Entry in the art group “Den Ekperimenterende Kunstkole”
1965
Three-year grant oft he State Art Foundation
1968
Gold medal of the Akademiråd
1978—1988
Professorship at the Kunstakademie, Karlsruhe
1982
DAAD Grant, Berlin
Member of the Danish Academy of Literature
1987
Thorvaldsen-Medaille von der Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
1989—2000
Professorship at the Städelschule Frankfurt am Main
1990
Art Prize of the Norddeutsche Landesbank, Hanover
1996
Coutts Contemporary Art Foundation Award
Henrik-Steffens-Award
2000
Commission for 8 bronze sculptures for the building of the Deutsche Bundesrat
2003
Receives Herbert-Boeckl-Prize for his lifework
2018
Per Kirkeby dies on May 9th
Selected Solo Shows
2018
Per Kirkeby. Aus der Nature (From Nature) – Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig
Per Kirkeby – Kunsthalle Krems, Krems an der Donau
Per Kirkeby. Paintings and Bronzes from the 1980s – Michael Werner, New York
2017
Per Kirkeby. Torso-Ast – Franz-Marc-Museum, Kochel am See
Per Kirkeby. Retrospektive – Kunstmuseum Mendrisio, Mendrisio
Per Kirkeby. Malerei & Skulptur – Galerie Thomas Salis, Salzburg
2016
Per Kirkeby. Bilder auf Masonit und Arbeiten auf Papier – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Per Kirkeby. The Blue of the Avant-Garde – Kunstforeningen GL STRAND, Copenhagen
Per Kirkeby. Werke aus dem Louisiana Museum of Modern Art – Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum, Bremen
2015
Per Kirkeby komplett – Museum Jorn, Silkeborg
Per Kirkeby – Herning Center of the Arts, Herning
Per Kirkeby. Echo of the Light – The Gallery of Windsor, Florida
2014
Per Kirkeby – Kunsthalle Gießen, Gießen
Per Kirkeby. Bronze, Kaltnadel, Holz – Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich
Per Kirkeby. Gemälde, Arbeiten auf Papier und eine Skulptur – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
2013
Strukturen der Natur. Franz Marc und Per Kirkeby. Druckgraphik – Franz Marc Museum, Kochel am See
Per Kirkeby. Paintings and Sculpture 1964–2010 – Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, Maine
2012
Per Kirkeb. Retrospektive – Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
Per Kirkeby. Paintings and Sculpture 1964–2010 – The Phillips Collection, Washington
Per Kirkeby. Maler-Forscher-Bildhauer-Poet – Museum Küppersmühle, Duisburg
Per Kirkeby. Epiphany – Ny Carlsberg Glyptothek, Copenhagen
2011
Per Kirkeby – Galerie Thomas Knöll, Basel
Per Kirkeby. Paintings – Michael Werner Gallery, New York
2010
Per Kirkeby. Hansentryk – Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, Copenhagen
2009
Per Kirkeby. Retrospektive – Tate Modern, London; Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
2008
Per Kirkeby. Retrospektive – Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk
2007
Per Kirkeby. Figur – Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Oslo
Per Kirkeby. Solo exhibition – Zendai MoMa, Shanghai
2006
Per Kirkeby. Prototypen der Natur – Kunsthalle Emden, Emden
Per Kirkeby. Figur – Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel
2004
Per Kirkeby. Natur und Gestalt. Retrospektive der Zeichnungen und Aquarelle – Städtisches Kunstmuseum Singen, Singen
2002
Per Kirkeby 122 × 122. Maleri på Masonit – Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk
Per Kirkeby 122 × 122. Gemälde auf Masonit – Museum Ludwig, Cologne
1999
Per Kirkeby. Schwarze Bilder und Bronzen – Städtische Museen und Sammlungen für den Landesteil Schleswig, Museumsberg Flensburg, Flensburg
Per Kirkeby. Holzschnitte 1980–1999 – Kupferstich-Kabinett, Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden
1998
Per Kirkeby – Tate Gallery, London
Per Kirkeby. Panorama – Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Aarhus
Per Kirkeby. Die Bronzen – Kunstbau der Städtischen Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich
Per Kirkeby. Bild, Zeichnung, Skulptur – Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
1997
Per Kirkeby. Skulpturen und Zeichnungen – Gerhard Marcks-Haus, Bremen
1996
Per Kirkeby. Peintures 1992–1996 – Maison des Arts Georges Pompidou, Centre d'art contemporain, Cajarc-Lot
Per Kirkeby – St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis
1995
Per Kirkeby – Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes, Nantes
1994
Per Kirkeby. Imagens Posteriores – Fundaçao Bienal de São Paulo, São Paulo
Per Kirkeby. Oberazy a Sochy. Paintings and Sculptures – National Gallery of Prag, Palais Sternberk, Prague
1992
Per Kirkeby – Magasin Centre National d'Art Contemporain de Grenoble, Grenoble
Border Crossings. Fourteen Scandinavian Artists – Barbican Art Gallery, London
documenta 9, Kassel
1991
Per Kirkeby. Paintings and drawings – MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, USA
Per Kirkeby. Bilder – Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hanover
1990
Per Kirkeby – Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk
1989
Per Kirkeby. Pintures i esculturas – IVAM Centre del Carme, Valencia
Per Kirkeby. Werke 1983–1988 – Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Winterthur
1988
Per Kirkeby. Schilderijen, sculpturen en modellen in brons – Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
1987
Per Kirkeby. Baksteensculptuur / Backsteinskulptur – Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam
1986
Per Kirkeby. Skulptur und Druckgrafik – Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach
1985—1986
Per Kirkeby. Recent Painting & Sculpture – Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
1985
Per Kirkeby. Zeichnungen und Aquarelle 1979 bis 1982 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
1984
Per Kirkeby – Musée d’Art Moderne de Straßburg, Strasbourg
Per Kirkeby. Übermalungen 1964–84 – Kunstraum, Munich
Uit het Noorden. Edvard Munch, Asger Jorn, Per Kirkeby – Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
An International Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture – Museum of Modern Art, New York
1983
Per Kirkeby. Zeichnungen 1964–1982 – DAAD Galerie, Berlin
Per Kirkeby. 6 Kobbertryk – Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen
Per Kirkeby. Bilder von 1983 – Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1982
Per Kirkeby – Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
documenta 7, Kassel
Per Kirkeby. Bilder und Gouachen 1981 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
1981
A New Spirit in Painting – Royal Academy of Arts, London
Malerei in Deutschland – Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
1980
Per Kirkeby. Bilder 1977–1979 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Per Kirkeby – Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1979
Per Kirkeby – Kunsthalle Bern, Bern; Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Aarhus
1977
Per Kirkeby. Bilder. Backsteinskulpturen. Bücher – Museum Folkwang, Essen
Per Kirkeby. Fliegende Blätter – Museum Folkwang, Essen
1974
Udstilling af et museum – Haderslev Museum, Haderslev
Per Kirkeby – Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1969
Malerier, bl.a. 3 fløjede maleri, nu Brunlund skolen, Åbenrå – Jysk Kunstgalerie, Copenhagen
1968
Per Kirkeby. Malerier – Jysk Kunstgalerie, Copenhagen
Per Kirkeby – Fyns Stiftsmuseum, Odense, Denmark
1965
Ung dansk Kunst – Den Frie Tilbygningen, Copenhagen
Per Kirkeby. Malerier, tegninger m.m. Euklids rum – Galerie Jensen, Copenhagen
1964
Per Kirkeby. Tegninger, collager – Hovedbibliotek, Copenhagen