SPECTA (DK)

SPECTA represents a diverse group of Scandinavian and international artists. Presenting a wide range of media, the gallery profile emphasizes great variety with a focus on the artist’s original approach to material / media and precisely defined practices. The gallery's artists are all represented in public and private collections. Founded by Else Johannesen in 1980 SPECTA is one of the longest standing galleries in Denmark, and it was passed down to Gitte Johannesen at the beginning of 2019.

Curated for
CHART

For CHART 2022, SPECTA will present a series of new paintings by French/Danish artist Johannes Sivertsen. Based on the lack of images he himself experienced as he was growing up as a stranger among strangers in the suburbs of Paris, Sivertsen creates his own alternative history paintings. He sees his paintings as a contribution to an ongoing debate on history and identity and his motifs refer to key points in the development of the West’s self-understanding.

Alongside paintings by Sivertsen, the gallery will also present new sculptural work by Daniel Svarre exploring how identity is affected, formed and de-formed in a consumer society. Based on his own subject position, Svarre examines how the things we surround ourselves with, such as design objects and everyday objects, act as identity markers circulating between the self, the social sphere and one's physical surroundings.

Johannes Sivertsen (DK/FR)

The work of Johannes Sivertsen is based on the lack of images he himself experienced, as he was growing up as a stranger among strangers in the suburbs of Paris. Sivertsen appropriates imagery and techniques which were used in the 1800s to paint the greatness of Europe. As Sivertsen creates his alternative history paintings, he makes us aware of our cultural gaze - the point from which we see the world. Sivertsen sees his paintings as a contribution added to an ongoing debate on history and identity and his motifs refer to key points in the western self-understanding.

Johannes Sivertsen (b. 1984, Paris; FR) was born and raised by Danish parents in the suburbs of Paris. He graduated from the Funen Academy of Arts in 2014. He has done a number of exhibitions, e.g. 'Toubab' at SPECTA (DK); 'The Unnamed' at Overgaden - Institute for Contemporary Art (DK); 'Response' at I:Project Space (CN). Sivertsen has been awarded with grants such as Aage & Yelva Nimbs Foundation and Jens Søndergaard og Hustrus Mindelegat. Sivertsen is represented in the collections of the Danish Arts Agency and the City of Copenhagen.