SERGEJ JENSEN
b. 1973, DenmarkSergej Jensen is a contemporary artist focused on exploring painting. Known best for minimalist fabric works which have been shown at major institutions such as MoMA PS1 and the National Gallery of Denmark, he has also recently returned to oil painting.
Early Years
Born in Maglegaard, Denmark in 1973, Sergej Jensen studied at the Städelschule in Frankfurt under Thomas Bayrle, a formative experience that shaped his approach to art. He has lived and worked in Berlin, Cologne, and New York, cities that have each contributed to his international perspective and the cosmopolitan character of his work.
Sergej Jensen Artworks
Jensen’s practice is defined by a radical rethinking of painting’s material support. He is renowned for his use of fabrics—burlap, linen, silk, and wool—employing techniques such as sewing, bleaching, stretching, and staining to create works that challenge the conventions of contemporary art. His approach, sometimes described as ‘painting without paint,’ foregrounds the canvas itself, often incorporating recycled or weathered materials and hand-knitted elements.
Early Textile Experiments
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jensen began to explore the expressive potential of found fabrics, stitching and manipulating them in ways that foregrounded their inherent textures and histories. Works like Untitled (1999, 2001) used bleaching and minimal interventions to create ghostly, abstract forms that invite close inspection.
The ‘Money Bag’ and ‘Shadow Paintings’ Series
Jensen’s Money Bag series, in which he sews cloth bank bags into geometric abstractions, explores the intersection of materiality and value, while his Shadow Paintings (2024) introduced oil paint into his repertoire, echoing the sewn geometries of his earlier work in gestural, shadowy forms.
Immersive Installations
Beyond the canvas, Jensen’s exhibitions often subvert the gallery context by incorporating domestic elements—fireplaces, rugs, or even entire ‘waiting rooms’—that challenge the conventions of the white cube and invite viewers to reconsider their relationship to art and environment.
Select Awards and Accolades
- Eckersberg Medal, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2017)
- Fred Thieler Prize, Berlinische Galerie (2013)
- Carnegie Art Award, Carnegie Investment Bank (2010)
Exhibitions
Sergej Jensen has been the subject of both solo and group exhibitions. Below is a selection of important exhibitions.
Solo Exhibitions
- Older Works and Shadow Paintings, White Cube, London, 2024
- The Adult Light, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, 2022
- Sergej Jensen, Le Consortium, Dijon, 2022
- Sergej Jensen, Kunsthalle Bern, Switzerland, 2021
- Sergej Jensen, National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen, 2016
- Sergej Jensen, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, 2013
- Sergej Jensen, MoMA PS1, New York, 2011
- Sergej Jensen, Aspen Art Museum, Colorado, 2010
Group Exhibitions
- Composition for the Left Hand, Kode, Bergen, Norway, 2024
- Selections: Gallery Artists, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, 2021
- 00s. Cranford Collection, MO.CO. Hôtel des collections, Montpellier, 2020
- 6th Hammer Invitational, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 2011
- Whitney Biennial, New York, 2006
- 6th Berlin Biennale, 2006
- 26th Bienal de São Paulo, 2004
Sergej Jensen FAQs
What is Sergej Jensen best known for?
Sergej Jensen is best known for his minimalist fabric art, where he transforms materials like burlap, linen, silk, and wool into abstract compositions that challenge the conventions of contemporary art.
Where can I see Sergej Jensen’s work?
Sergej Jensen’s works are held in major public collections including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Tate (London), Centre Pompidou (Paris), and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Denmark). Recent exhibitions have taken place at White Cube (London), Le Consortium (Dijon), and Kunsthalle Bern.
What materials does Sergej Jensen use in his artworks?
Jensen’s artworks are created from a variety of fabrics—burlap, linen, silk, wool—and often feature sewing, bleaching, stretching, and staining as key techniques.
How does Sergej Jensen challenge traditional painting?
Sergej Jensen’s practice deconstructs the traditional canvas, turning the support itself into the artwork by manipulating textiles and incorporating recycled materials, thus redefining the boundaries of painting.
Has Sergej Jensen received any significant awards?
Yes, Sergej Jensen has been recognised with the Eckersberg Medal (2017), Fred Thieler Prize (2013), and Carnegie Art Award (2010).
Are there any random and interesting facts about Sergej Jensen?
Sergej Jensen’s exhibitions often incorporate domestic elements such as fireplaces and rugs, subverting the traditional “white cube” gallery format and creating immersive environments.
How do you pronounce Sergej Jensen’s name?
Sergej Jensen is pronounced ‘SER-gay YEN-sen’.
Ocula | 2025
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