What inspires you? 

I don’t think inspiration and ideas are necessarily something you can just sit around and wait for. You also need to do something active to get it. I buy loads of art books and watch a lot of YouTube videos about artists. I love watching or listening to art talks on the bus or train. I use Instagram and Pinterest a lot, so I save lots of artists and look at their art when I need inspiration. As much as possible I try to visit galleries and museums to see art from different periods. But it’s not just art that inspires me. Watching a film or series, or listening to music can also spark thoughts or feelings that I can use for a painting. 

What shaped you as an artist? Where did it all start? Was there art in your childhood? 

There aren’t any artists in my family, but my parents would take us to art museums, and I drew a lot and read comics. My aunt and uncle were very interested in art and collect art, so they would help me and give me the courage to paint and draw. They once took me to Michael Kvium’s studio. I remember what an amazing experience that was. We drank terrible tea with paint splatters on the cups and I thought it was really funny. But my parents have always given me their support. When you’re young and interested in something other than school, it’s vital to have that backing. 

 Did you have a formal artistic education? If so, where and how much did it make a mark on the artist you are today? If not, do you ever wish that you had been to art school? 

I studied graphic design, which in certain ways has helped me to simplify my idiom and think about how I tell a story exactly as I want or don’t want to. Would an academic education have benefited me? I don’t know and think it’s a waste of time to regret not getting in when I applied. 

I applied three times, didn’t get accepted, and learned a lot of other things. I played a lot of music instead and had some amazing years performing in concerts and releasing albums. Though I did get into the Chatlottenborg Spring Exhibition and that kept me going. 

What and who influences your creative practice? 

Everyone around me. 

Does your home country or the place where you live influence your art? 

I don’t know. Maybe. 

Where do your ideas come from? How do you hold onto and record your ideas? How do you develop them into art? 

My ideas come at very different times, and I write them down right away when I get them. They are very short, precise descriptions such as: “A skull with a slice of lemon and a cactus” or “A boy standing on an armchair in a living room.” I have a very long note with ideas on my phone. I’ll check it out when I get to the studio. Otherwise, I collect tons of photos on my computer to create a catalog of ideas for new paintings. I also take a lot of photos. They’re also in my catalog. 

When you start a new work or project, do you plan what you’re going to create or do you improvise? 

Usually, I have some ideas in my head or a loose concept that I’m aiming for. I have a lot of work that can give me a tangible idea of whether I’m heading in the right direction. 

Can you tell us a little more about what you are currently doing? What techniques are you working with? Are there very specific ideas that you are trying to explore in your work?  
Right now, I’m working on a solo exhibition at Galleri Sandberg this autumn. In my previous paintings, I used acrylic paint a lot, and I feel I need to challenge myself a bit in terms of materials. So, I need to try things out and experiment more with different materials one at a time: oil paint, oil sticks, Indian ink, and watercolor. I’d like to combine various techniques and spend more time on each painting. 

Do you enjoy reading? If so, what kinds of books? What are you currently reading? 

I hate reading, but you could say that audiobooks have helped me read. I’ve listened to a lot of biographies of musicians and artists. But right now, I’m just listening to detective novels. It gets a bit much listening and hearing about artists all the time. 

 Do you listen to music? If so, what? Do you listen to music while you work? 

I listen to all sorts of music. I’ve made a list. I constantly add new tracks, which I listen to when I’m painting. There’s a lot of electronic music. Gorillaz, Beck, Portishead, Massive Attack, Daft Punk, Radiohead, Aphex Twin, LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, Unkle, Moderat, Iceage. There’s a bit of blues. I can’t stop listening to music when I’m working, but I also enjoy the tranquillity. 

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do to relax when not working? 

I have a wife and children, and I love spending time with them when I’m not working. 

Who are your favorite artists – past and present? Why? 

My current favorites are Kim Dorland, Tal R, Mamma Anderson, Peter Doig, David Hockney, Neo Rauch, Jessica Stockholder, Erwin Wurm, and more recently Danny Fox, Jules de Balincourt, Salam Toor and Claire Tabouret. Favourites from the past include Edvard Munch, Van Gogh Edward Hopper, Martin Kippenberger, Matisse, Gauguin. Danish ones include L.A. Ring, J.F. Willumsen. I’ve recently become a big fan of Sigurd Swane. 

Do you collect art? If so, describe some of your favorite works. 

Yes, I do. I’ve swapped art, but I also buy art with my wife. Not huge work. Smaller things. We have a lot of paper works and lithographs, paintings and photographs. My wife is really into pottery, so we have some of that too. Our collection consists almost solely of figurative art. I dream of owning a Tal R at some point, but I think it can wait. 

Do you enjoy traveling? Where have you traveled to? Has that influenced your work? 

I enjoy traveling and taking a lot of photographs that I also use in my art. I haven’t traveled to wild places. Mostly European countries and once to New York. I’d love to travel more because I love visiting museums, exploring cities and seeing what they have to offer. I constantly return to Berlin. I’ve been going there from a very young age. 

Do you think art has an important role to play in the world? 

Right now, I think peace is the most important thing in the world. If art and culture can help achieve it, then that’s great. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring young artists? 

Work, work, work. Try out lots of different things. Find your direction and work again. You need to spend a lot of time figuring out what you want to reveal about yourself. Whom am I getting to know or not know when I look at your art? But don’t sit down and wait for it to come to you. You have to do something active and expect to come a cropper now and again, but keep going if it feels right. It’s okay to doubt because doubt will always be there. You MUST doubt. It leads you to something you can work with or nothing at all! Then you learn something. Then you have to decide how you want to make a living from it. Then you also learn what you’re good at and then stick to it. If you are good at installation or ceramics, don’t paint/ You can’t be good at everything. That will also hamper you. Hold onto the core, where you can feel a flame that kindles you.