Kirsten Møller Ortwed (born 28 May 1948) is a Danish artist, now based in Cologne, Germany. She is noted for her striking sculptures in public spaces and her sometimes surprising combinations of traditional and unconventional materials.

Early life

Born in

Virum Virum is a mostly residential, suburban neighbourhood in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality, located on both sides of Lyngby Kongevej, approximately 15 km north of central Copenhagen, Denmark. The neighbourhood is bordered by Lake Furesø to the w ...

, she began to paint when she was 13 and hoped to study at the Academy but her parents did not agree. In 1965, she travelled around Europe alone. On her return, she became interested in the avant-garde movement in Copenhagen. In 1967, she turned to weaving and textile art, studying first under John Becker (1915–1986), then from 1969 as an apprentice with Naja Salto (born 1945). After debuting at

Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling Den Frie Udstilling ('The Free Exhibition') is a Danish artists' association, founded in 1891 by artists in protest against the admission requirements for the Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Modeled on the Salon des Refusés, it is Denmark's oldest asso ...

in 1970, she studied painting at the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Dani ...

(1970–75) where she appreciated the help and encouragement she received from the German fluxus artist, Arthur Køpcke (1928-1977).

Career

After a study trip to New York in 1976, Ortwed travelled to Mexico, Morocco and Egypt. Unhappy with the art scene in Denmark, in 1982 she moved to Cologne, Germany. In 1996, with her partner

Troels Wörsel Troels Wörsel (November 10, 1950 - December 12, 2018) was a Danish painter active in Cologne and Pietrasanta. Biography Troels Wörsel was born in Aarhus, Danmark. He was self-taught and in the 1970s, became interested in pop and conceptual ...

, she began to work in

Pietrasanta Pietrasanta is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Pietrasanta is part of Versilia, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about north of Pisa. The town is located off the coast, where the ...

in Tuscany, located next to the large marble quarry, now specializing in sculpture. She created large works consisting of several sections which often spread out horizontally like islands in space without any symbolic or ideological traits. Instead they can be seen as giving shape to absence and presence or contrasting lightness and heaviness. She frequently makes use of unconventional materials such as prefabricated sections or moulded parts as well as bronze and plaster. Her use of unpredictable materials contributes to her desire to express relationships between shape and space, often veering towards openness as in her ''Blind Date'' (1996), ''Risks Run'' (1994) and ''Einfluss'' (1991). In 1997, Ortwed represented Denmark at the Venice Biennale with her extensive work ''Tons of Circumstances'' supported by Hermod Lannungs Museumsfond. The following year, she won the competition for creating a monument in memory of

Raoul Wallenberg Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg (4 August 1912 – disappeared 17 January 1945)He is presumed to have died in 1947, although the circumstances of his death are not clear and this date has been disputed. Some reports claim he was alive years later. 31 J ...

in Stockholm. Ortwed's works have been presented at numerous solo exhibitions in Scandinavia, Germany, France and the United States. She was awarded the

Eckersberg Medal The Eckersberg Medal (originally the ''Akademiets Aarsmedaille'' or Annual Academy Medal) is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It is named after Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, known as the father of Danish painting. The Ec ...

in 1994 by the

Selected works

Public art

*''Brønden'',

Aars Aars or Års, () is a Danish town with a population of 8,474 (1 January 2022)Aars Aars or Års, () is a Danish town with a population of 8,474 (1 January 2022)Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

, Sweden (2001) * ''Terra Vento'', Clarion Hotel, Ringvägen, Stockholm (2003) *''Stene til gårdrum'', Frederiksberg Gymnasium, Copenhagen, Denmark (2000–04) *''Syntax'', Sölvegatan,

Lund University , motto = Ad utrumque , mottoeng = Prepared for both , established = , type = Public research university , budget = SEK 9 billion Lund University , motto = Ad utrumque , mottoeng = Prepared for both , established = , type = Public research university , budget = SEK 9 billion Horsens Horsens () is a city on the east coast of Jutland region of Denmark. It is the seat of the Horsens municipality. The city's population is 61,074 (1 January 2022) and the municipality's population is 94,443 (), making it the 8th largest city in De ...

, Denmark (2004–06) * ''Beringsøen '', Kirketorvet,

Horsens Horsens () is a city on the east coast of Jutland region of Denmark. It is the seat of the Horsens municipality. The city's population is 61,074 (1 January 2022) and the municipality's population is 94,443 (), making it the 8th largest city in De ...

, Denmark (2007) * ''Full Length'',

Havnegade Havnegade is a waterfront promenade in central Copenhagen, Denmark, which runs between Knippelsbro and the mouth of the Nyhavn canal. Most of the street is lined with buildings from the 1860s and 1870s that were constructed as part of the redevelo ...

, Copenhagen, Denmark (2016) * ''14–7–2006, ''Nesparken,

Moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

, Norway (2016)

In museums

*''Full length'',

Statens Museum for Kunst The National Gallery of Denmark ( da, Statens Museum for Kunst, also known as "SMK", literally State Museum for Art) is the Danish national gallery, located in the centre of Copenhagen. The museum collects, registers, maintains, researches and han ...

, Copenhagen, Denmark (2006–08)

Awards

In 1995, Ortwed was awarded the

and, in 2002, the

Thorvaldsen Medal The Thorvaldsen Medal (Danish: Thorvaldsens Medalje, Thorvaldsen Medaillen) is awarded annually with few exceptions to a varying number of recipients by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and is its highest distinction within the visual arts. It ...

References

External links

Kirsten Ortwed: comprehensive listings of exhibitions, monuments and museum collections
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ortwed, Kirsten 1948 births Living people 20th-century Danish women artists 20th-century Danish artists 21st-century Danish women artists Danish sculptors Danish women sculptors People from Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality Recipients of the Thorvaldsen Medal Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni