Anne Juul Christophersen

Anne Juul Christophersen entered the Danish art scene in 2007 with her first solo exhibition in Copenhagen. In her works Anne deals with the fine balance between bliss and horror from the viewpoint that both heaven and hell is present everywhere. Without one, the other cannot exist, and Anne’s works explore the space between these two opposites. Her imagery touches something deep in her audience and it is not always clear why our reaction is so emotionally strong. It may be because Anne shares some of her soul in every painting – she connects with her audience on a very personal and emotional level.  “My paintings touch and release something in people: Memories, feelings, emotions”, says Anne Juul Christophersen. “When I wander in nature, where I live, I see and listen to the wonders of nature around me and it enables me to look inside myself. I think there is a kind of connection between my inner self and nature itself, and when I return to my studio, I do a quick sketch to make sure the images don’t fade from my memory. For most people this connection was probably stronger when they were children but my paintings remind them what it was like.”  

Anne Juul Christophersen lives in the countryside of Southern Jutland in Denmark, and she feels at home in this desolate, harsh landscape. It is beautiful with often extreme weather and this is exactly where she finds her inner peace.  Perhaps this is why her works often feature the feral girl and her bear, always exploring the raw, open wilderness, just the two of them alone with each other and nature. The girl has been Anne’s “main character” for a long time. The innocence of childhood’s interaction with the strong forces of nature, with sexuality, the harsh adult life, the brutal civilisation. In the calmness of the woods the two of them play together and communicate in various ways – and here is no fear between them. The girl feels safe with her bear – she knows her strength. 

Anne Juul Christophersen’s experiences in nature has given her a special sense of connection similar to the way indigenous people perceive their surroundings. Boiled down to a single word, such experiences could be described as “paganism”, which is a theme she has been exploring the last couple of years. The wild forces in and around us, which connects us to the Universe. In general, she often works with different themes in her, predominantly figurative, paintings. After she has decided on a theme she starts working on sketches and other preparatory work before beginning the actual paintings. She tells her stories and takes us on a journey down adventurous paths through the deep dark woods where we find both idyll and horror, comfort and fear. Anne’s imagery, in the genre of magic realism, has touched her audience deeply and her artistic career has moved at rapid speed. With solo exhibitions in both Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Scotland and England, there is a large international demand for Anne’s works. She also runs the art school, Annes Atelier.