The Life and Training of Sergej Jensen

Born in 1973 in Maglegaard, Denmark, Sergej Jensen spent his formative years in Frankfurt am Main. This German upbringing provided a backdrop of structured urban life, though his personal history contains unexpected digital echoes; his mother worked as a computer programmer. This connection to the logic of early computing would later surface in his artistic explorations, creating a quiet tension between the mechanical and the tactile.

His formal education took place at the Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste – Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main. It was there that he studied under Professor Thomas Bayrle, a period of academic rigor that helped shape his approach to form and material. This training provided the foundation for a career that would eventually span multiple cities, as he moved toward a practice that prioritizes the physical properties of fabric over traditional pigment.

Artistic Technique and Materiality

Jensen’s practice is defined by a deliberate departure from traditional medium, a concept he describes as "paintings without paint." Rather than applying pigment to a standard canvas, he often eschews the act of painting entirely. His compositions rely on the physical manipulation of textiles through sewing, bleaching, or staining. By utilizing ready-made materials such as jute, silk, linen, and wool, he creates surfaces that carry their own history. These works frequently waver between the realms of abstraction and figuration, often appearing as quiet, material studies rather than traditional pictorial representations.

The materiality of his work is found in the incidental and the discarded. He incorporates a wide variety of fabrics, ranging from heavy burlap to delicate silk, and sometimes integrates unexpected objects like metallic mesh, iron-on patches, or even office supplies like adhesive tape. These inclusions are often embedded within the layers of the work. In some instances, he allows the environment to complete the process, exposing his pieces to the elements, such as sunlight or precipitation, to alter their appearance. This reliance on chance and external influence results in works that feel both carefully constructed and casually found.

• Ode to the pipe
• Untitled

Key Works and Notable Collections

The physical presence of Jensen’s practice is anchored in several major international institutions. His works are held within the collection of the Statens Museum For Kunst in Copenhagen, where pieces such as Ode to the pipe and an Untitled work reside. These pieces reflect a material sensibility that prioritizes the texture of the substrate over traditional pigment application. His reach extends across Europe and North America, with his compositions finding permanent homes in the Moderna Museet in Stockholm and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk.

In the United States, the scale of his influence is reflected in the holdings of several prominent museums. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art maintains his work, as does the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. His presence in the Southern California art landscape is further solidified by the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. These institutions preserve works that often utilize found textiles, such as burlap, linen, and silk, to explore the boundaries between abstraction and the physical reality of the object.

Exhibitions and Professional Recognition

Jensen’s presence in the international exhibition circuit has been marked by a steady progression through significant institutional spaces. His work has been presented at MOMA P.S.1 in New York City and has seen solo presentations at White Cube in London, both in 2006 and 2016. These appearances in major metropolitan centers coincide with a career that has moved between the European and American art scenes, including a notable exhibition at Galerie Buchholz in Manhattan in 2015. Earlier in his development, he participated in group exhibitions such as the one held at the Kunstverein Braunschweig in 2003.

The recognition of his practice has come through several prestigious awards and museum settings. In 2013, he was awarded the Fred-Thieler-Preis, and by 2017, he received the Eckersberg Medal from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. His exhibitions have also included a showing at the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden in 2017, further establishing his reach within European cultural institutions. These honors reflect a career built on a specific, material-focused approach to the medium of painting.

Current Locations and Activity

Jensen maintains a presence across several major urban centers, dividing his time between Berlin, New York City, and Cologne. This movement between European and American hubs reflects a life spent navigating diverse cultural landscapes. His practice remains active, rooted in these cities where he continues to develop his distinct approach to materiality.

His recent professional activity includes a significant exhibition titled Older Works and Shadow Paintings, which was held at White Cube Bermondsey in London from 14 February to 24 March 2024. This follows a history of presence in major institutions, such as his exhibition at the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen in 2016. His work continues to find placement in international contexts, moving between the quietude of studio practice and the public visibility of gallery spaces.