Ole Aakjær | Untold Stories
ON VIEW
November 23. 2018 - January 31, 2019
LOCATION
521 W 23rd St
New York, NY
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Ole Aakjær (b. 1962) is a Copenhagen-based, internationally-renowned watercolor and ink artist best known for large-format, highly symbolic works that celebrate the power of women. His distinct figurative paintings rely on bold colors and symbols to convey deep psychological empathy, while exploring the complexity and strength of their subjects. Ornate ink work comes into play with tattoos often sprawled across the face, neck, shoulders, and upper body. Text and characters, inspired by music, literature, poetry, film, religion, psychology, and cartoons are painstakingly applied with ink.
Influenced by comic book writers and artists Milo Manara, Enki Bilal, and Jean Giraud (pseudonym Moebius), Aakjær in the mid-1980s published an album at Carlsen, Denmark's main comic book publisher at the time, fulfilling his childhood dream. He operated an illustration studio since 1992. After 25 years as CEO of his own advertising and design agency, Aakjær was burnt out creatively. Reclaiming his childhood fascination and playfulness, he turned to watercolor painting in 2014. With a brazen nod to his previous career in his use of oversized keywords, Aakjaer’s large scale watercolors and techniques are unparalleled. The combination of ink and watercolor require great mastery as there is no room for error or corrections. The desired result must be achieved on the first application. This is in many ways the poetry of the watercolour – and of Ole Aakjær’s work.
International success came quickly, when Aakjær’s first solo exhibition sold out. Many subsequent shows in Montreal, Oslo, Paris, and London, sold out, leading to an international breakthrough and permanent gallery representation in New York, Montreal and Düsseldorf. He has already had two museum exhibitions – at Vejle Kunstmuseum, Denmark in 2021 and at Diocesan Museum, Andria, Italy in 2022. Upcoming is the museum exhibition at the Chinese Contemporary Art Museum, Chongqing, China in 2024. Aakjær has participated in more than 75 solo and group exhibitions since 2014. At the moment the artist lives and works in New York.
Ole Aakjær has gained recognition as one of the leading artists in Denmark. His watercolor and ink paintings are painted in a signature figurative style of highly structured compositions layered with symbolism. Untold Stories is his first solo exhibition in the United States.
Portraits with multilayered symbolism reveal inspiration from music, literature, film, and photography. Watercolor, which has a life of its own, leaves behind imperfections, adding to the uniqueness and humanity of each piece. This complexity deepens the dramatic effect put forward by the artist with his use of abundant color and rich hues. Aakjaer portrays mysterious women that are sensual, alluring and untamed. A piercing female gaze dares the viewer to uncover her secrets.
Aakjær affixes his hues and combines them with an apparent ease, and his works appear with a force and presence full of passion and power. The main represented theme, widely portrayed throughout the history of art, is the beautiful young woman. In his case, she is complex and fearless. Aakjær examines the female face as a gateway to the soul. Although she courageously meets the eyes of the spectator with energy and obstinacy, her inner life and secrets remain intact. Her body is tattooed with texts and characters. We can also recognize a subtle influence from the world of advertising and graphic design, observing the margins of framing and the presence of oversized keywords in certain artwork.
Ole Aakjær was born in Denmark in 1962. He has won numerous awards and competitions and has had 40 acclaimed solo exhibitions throughout Denmark as well as in New York City, Paris, Montreal, Switzerland where he has established a strong collector base and reputation.
