About
Whether responding to a specific site, material or situation, artist Signe Guttormsen (b. 1964) always takes context into account. Working within a wide range of media – from photography, painting, and print to sculpture, installation, and building-integrated art, she works from an analytical standpoint drawing on a wider scope of cultural, political, and art historic references to expose hidden narratives and interconnections between situations and things. Guttormsen is educated from The Royal Danish Art Academy, as well as Rijksakademie van beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. Her latest major work in the public space was the site-specific installation WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW WE DO NOT KNOW commissioned by Kanalbyen in Fredericia in 2020. In 2023, Signe Guttormsen was awarded The Eckersberg Medal.
Gennemgående for Signe Guttormsens kunstnerskab er en omtanke for kontekst. Om det er et særligt sted, materiale eller situation har Guttormsen blikket rettet mod et større hele. Hun går analytisk til sagen og trækker på en lang række af kulturelle, politiske og kunsthistoriske referencer for at udvælge det helt rigtige materiale eller metode for den enkelte kontekst. Gennem tilbagevendende medier som fotografi, maleri, tryk, skulptur, installation og bygningsintegreret kunst, afslører Guttormsen skjulte sammenhænge mellem ting, materialer og situationer – og skaber derigennem nye former for narrativer og billedsprog. Guttormsen er uddannet fra Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi, samt Rijksakademie van beeldende Kunsten i Amsterdam. Hendes seneste store arbejde i det offentlige rum er den stedsspecifikke installation DET VI IKKE VED DET VED VI IKKE i Kanalbyen i Fredericia i 2020. I 2023 modtog Signe Guttormsen Eckersberg Medaljen.
Texts
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 2023
The Eckersberg Medal
Eckersberg Medaljen
Nanna Balslev Strøjer, 2022
Not After Not Before (UK)
Not After Not Before (DK)
Charlotte Præstegaard Schwartz, 2019
The liberating method
Den frisættende metode
Camilla Jalving, 2017
Trackwork
Sporarbejde
Interview by Torben Sangild, 2017
Like the Soundtrack of a Film
Som lydsporet til en film
Karsten R.S. Ifversen, 2017
Art without a Boundary
Kunst uden indhegning
CV
1964 born in Copenhagen
1993-96 living in Berlin
1996-2009 living in Cologne
Since 2009 living in Copenhagen
education
1986-93 Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen
1991-93 Rijksakademie van beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam
works in public spaces
2020
WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW WE DO NOT KNOW, Kanalbyen, Fredericia
2018
If Walls Could Speak, Køge Town Hall, Køge
2017
Outlooks and Insights, Vejle Psychiatric Hospital, Vejle (winning competition)
2016
Rupture, MT Højgaard’s Headquarters, Søborg
Ancestral Gallery, The Administration, Aarhus University, Aarhus
2015
Forecourt of The Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Hellerup, in collaboration with Niels Guttormsen and Bertelsen & Scheving Architects
Tracks and Webs, Rail Net Denmark’s Traffic Center West, Fredericia (winning competition)
2014
University of Southern Denmark, Institute for Molecular Medicine, Odense
2013
Ringsted Highschool, Ringsted
2012/22
BOGBØRSEN, The Book Exchange (with Steen Palsbøll), Gentofte
2010
Roof Terrace, Frederik VIII ́s Palace, Amalienborg, Copenhagen (winning competition)
2003
The Common House, Senior Living Kløvermarken, Målev
competition proposals (not realized)
2020
Es gibt immer einen Weg, KÖR, Vienna
Time, Eternity and the Moment, the Service Building at the New Malmö Hospital, Malmö
2018
Berlin Hellersdorf mittendrin, Kunst im Untergrund 2018, „Plakat politisch machen – 60 Jahre Kunst statt Werbung”
2017
Alles ist Wechselwirkung, Humboldt Forum, Berliner Castle, Berlin
2013
Uptown, Downtown, Dokk1 i Aarhus Port, Aarhus Municipality
2011
The first zero energy office building of Aarhus Municipality
solo exhibitions (selected)
2022
Not After Not Before, Nørgaard på Strøget, Copenhagen
Step back, step back please (with Andrea Ostermeyer), Viborg Kunsthal
Ikke tabt, ikke grebet [Not lost, not grabbed], Skitsehandlen, Faaborg
2017
Vanitas Unfolded, Politikens Forhal, Copenhagen
2016
Moving Things, Galerie Mikael Andersen, Copenhagen
2013
Where are you?, Galerie Mikael Andersen, Copenhagen
2011
Access, Galerie Mikael Andersen, Copenhagen
Gesammelte Folgen, Galerie Mikael Andersen, Berlin
2008
Die Verbindung wird gehalten, Galerie Oberem, Bonn
2006
With Backs facing Forward, Horsens Kunstmuseum
The End, Fung Sway, Copenhagen
Kollen, mönnen, dögen, sürfen, mollen, wüssen, Galerie Oberem, Bonn
2005
Jedes Mal ein anderes Mal, Kunsthalle Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven
2001
Foran Matskiven [In Front of the Focusing Screen], Horsens Kunstmuseum, Horsens
Auf der Mattscheibe, Galerie Schneider, Bonn
2000
Paintbox, Bredgade 65, Copenhagen
1997
German Boards & Papers, Tidsrum Maleri, Copenhagen
Entweder-Oder, artothek, Cologne
Left-Right, Galleri Jespersen, Odense
1995
Pladsholder I + II, Gentofte Kunstbibliotek, Gentofte + Ribe Kunstmuseum, Ribe
1990
Biler [Cars], Demonstrationslokale for kunst, Copenhagen
group exhibitions (selected)
2022-2008
Den Frie Udstilling, Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen
2014
Sculptures and Works on Paper, Galerie Mikael Andersen, Berlin
2013-14
RE:SET, Clemens Sels Museum Neuss. Kunstmuseum Heidenheim. Kunsthalle Recklinghausen. Kunstmuseum Celle
2010
Art for the Royal Family, KØS, Museum for Art in Public Spaces, Køge ARoS, Aarhus
2007
Wenn Handlungen Form werden, Neues Museum Nuremberg, Nuremberg
November ist vor Dezember, Galerie Oberem, Bonn
Uptime Downtime, Stedefreund, Berlin
2005
Bis an den Rand der Malerei, Galerie Oberem, Bonn
2004-1998
Several shows with Seven Up at Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen. Sophienholm, Lyngby. Kunsthal Brænderigården, Viborg. Museum Hofheim, Frankfurt a.M.
2000
PS1999, Archipel – Aktuele beeldende kunst, Apeldoorn
Fact & Value, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen
Floor Show, Den Frie Center of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen
1998
Biennale Syd, Sørlandet Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand
Radical Abstraction, the Waikato Museum of Art and History, Hamilton
1997
90 ́er modernisme, Den Frie Center of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen
1996
On The Corner, Tidsrum Maleri, Copenhagen
1995
Human Touch, Trøndelag Kunstgalleri, Trondheim
1994
2D, Overgaden, Copenhagen
Tapko in C.E.C., Copenhagen
Proms II, Kunsthallen, Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense
Germinations 8, Breda, Warsaw, Athens, Madrid
1993
Praktisk Avantgarde, Herning Kunstmuseum, Herning
Open Studios, Rijksakademie van beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam
1992
Aurora 5, Nordisk Kunstcentrum, Joensuu Kunstmuseum, Joensuu
Tendenser i dansk fotografi, Fotografisk Galleri, Copenhagen
1991
Lang Lørdag, Den Frie Center of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen
1990
Luxury Culture, Sophienholm, Copenhagen
1989
Demonstrationslokale for kunst, Copenhagen
Danske billedkunstnere fotograferer, Kunsthallen, Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense
awards and scholarships (selected)
2023
The Eckersberg Medal
Residency at The Danish Institute in Rome
2022
Sculptor Viggo Jarls Award
Residency at The Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen
2021
Residency at Brechts House, Svendborg
Residency at The Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen
2020
Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation
Beckett-Foundation
L. F. Foghts Foundation
Dansk Tennis Foundation
Work grant, Danish Arts Foundation
2019
Residency at San Cataldo, Scala
Farveprisen 2019
2018
L. F. Foghts Foundation
Dansk Tennis Foundation
2016
Consul George Jorck and wife Emma Jorcks Foundation
L. F. Foghts Foundation
Work grant, Danish Arts Foundation
2014
Ole Haslund Artists’ Foundation Award
15. juni Foundation
2011
Award of Kunstnerfonden of 1973
2009
Open Call, Danish Arts Foundation, The Book Exchange (with Steen Palsbøll)
2007
Aage og Yelva Nimbs Foundation Scholarship
Ole Haslunds Artists’ Foundation Travel Scholarship
2006
Beckett-Foundation
2003
The Danish Art Prize
Work grant, Danish Arts Foundation
2001
Horsens Kunstmuseums Venners Kunstnerpris
Jens Søndergaard Little Memorial Scholarship
Work grant, Danish Arts Foundation
1999
Aage og Yelva Nimbs Foundation Scholarship
1998
Karl Mogensen Foundation
1995
3-year work grant, Danish Arts Foundation
1994
Working grant, Danish Arts Foundation
1993
Bikuben’s Scholarship Residence, Berlin
Gerda Jensen’s Artists’ Scholarship
since 2020
Board of directors, Faaborg Museum
2012-15
Chairman of Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen
2010-17
Board of directors, Den Frie Udstilling
since 2011
Board of directors, Painter Arne Petersens and Ebba Gregersens Residence
member of Den Frie Udstilling
member of Billedkunstnernes Forbund BKF
member of Kunstnersamfundet