Bjarne Melgaard started out in the mid 1990’s with a neo expressionistic, frantic style of painting, sculpture and installation. His intense way of almost attacking the canvas with paint paired with a total control of the line where the brush strokes and splashes of paint forms a base for an explicit and sometimes offensive narrative. Organized chaos is one of the main principles both regarding composition and content. Melgaard 's way of focusing on capturing the tension of the creative moment makes his stylistic role models, like Edward Munch and Emil Nolde's ever present. The variety of dazzling layers in different techniques gives the works a painterly quality that literally sweep the viewer into a myriad of color form and expression.
Bjarne Melgaard’s art deals with the dark side of humanity, such as self-destruction, deviant sexuality and odd religious beliefs. It provides an insight into subcultures and parallel worlds that exists alongside the world of normality. It often discusses, investigates and pushes the boundaries of societal acceptance. The work tells the story of exclusion and fear and it raises questions about instinct and passion, morality and normality.
A male subject that can be seen as one of the artist’s many alter egos often populates the complex and chaotic imagery. As a viewer you sometimes feel like a voyeur with total access to a strangers most intimate sphere.
The same motifs and references appear over and over in Melgaards imagery almost as an obsession; the ape, the dog, black holes and male genitals. It’s almost as if the artist is trying to convince his audience by pounding his vision into their minds and it is not entirely without success - Bjarne Melgaard's art leaves few unmoved.
EDUCATION
1992-93
Jan van Eyck Academie, Maarstricht, Holland
1991-92
Rijksacademie, Amsterdam, Holland
1991
Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo, Norway
1990
Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden.
2015
Munch Museum, Olso, Munch and Melgaard, curated by Lars Toft-Eriksen
2014
Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand, Norway; Bjarne Melgaard: Selected Works From The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
Studio Hugo Opdal (in collaboration with Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo), Flø, Norway; Bjarne Melgaard
2013
Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, Norway
Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York; Bjarne Melgaard: Ignorant Transparencies,
Frieze New York (Gavin Brown’s enterprise)
The Armory Show 2013 (Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo), New York; Bjarne Melgaard Sverre Bjertnes
Fineart, Oslo; Bjarne Melgaard New Drawings and Prints, January 31-February 9
2012
Luxembourg&Dayan Gallery, New York, USA
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), London, England
Ramiken Crucible Gallery, New York, USA
2011
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
Maccarone Gallery, New York, USA.
Venice Biennal, Italy Palazzo Contarini Corfù, Venice; Baton Sinister
2010
Bergen Kunstmuseum, Bergen, Norway
De Appel arts centre, Amsterdam; Bjarne Melgaard/ Rod Bianco “Super Normal,”
Greene Naftali, New York; The Synthetic Slut: A Novel By Bjarne Melgaard
2008
Reena Spaulings Fine Art, New York
Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria
Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
Greene Naftali Gallery, New York
Every Body Counts, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Vestfossen, Norway
2007
Galerie Anne Villepoix, Paris, France
Baro Cruz, Sao Paoulo, Brazil
Galerie Senda, Barcelona, Spain
Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
2006
Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö, Sweden (together with Marie-Louise Ekman)
Minipigs in Space, Galerie Krinzinger,Vienna, Austria
Les Super, Galerie Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
A Weekend of Painting; A novel by Les Super, Leo Koenig, New York, USA
2005
Jasmine La Nuit, The Horse Hospital, London, England
Galerie Senda, Barcelona, Spain
Fin de Copenhague, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Hallo Maybe, Haugar Vestfold Museum, Oslo, Norway
Part 1: Chihuahua Hunger All Words Destroy, Galerie Crone, Berlin; Germany
Life is a Lonely Buffalo, Niels Borch Jensen Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Not a Painting Show, Stella Lohaus Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
2004
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
2003
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
Skam, Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, Norway
The End of The Professional Teenager, Sketch, London, England
2002
Black Low, MARTa Herford Museum, Hannover, Germany
Nothing Special, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Demark
Interface to God, Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Italy
Beginnings, Galerie Daniel Buchholz, Cologne, Germany
2001
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria
2000
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
New Works, Nils Staerk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
1998
More Pricks than Kicks, Astrup Fearnley Museet for Moderne Kunst, Oslo, Norway
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2011
Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Galerie Proarta, Zürich, Switzerland
Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany
2009
Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA
Helsingborg ♥ Malmö, Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsinborg, Sweden
2008
Greene Naftali, New York, USA
Patricia Low Gallery, Gstaad, Switzerland
Faurschou Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Greene Naftali and Matthew Marks, New York, USA
Galerie Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
2007
Rubell Family Collection, Miami, USA
Galerie Crone, Berlin, Germany
Rental Gallery, New York, USA
1st Athens Biennial 2007, Athens, Greece
Gagosian Gallery (Madison Avenue), New York, USA
Norrköpings Konstmuseum, Norrköping, Sweden
2006
Helter Helter, Galerie Anne De Villepoix, Paris, France
Superstars: The Celebrity Factor, From Warhol to Madonna, Kunstahlle Wien, Austria
In a Norwegian Wood, Norwegian Art of the Last Decade at the Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Poland
Playlist, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
2005
Willy Wonka Inc., Galleri SE, Bergen, Norway
Superstars The Celebrity Factor. From Warhol to Madonna Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria.
W139, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Bjarne Melgaard introducing Andy Warhol TV June at The Horse Hospital, London, UK
2004
Expressive Nordic Painting, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tirol Transfer,Österreichisches Kulturforum, Warsaw, Poland
Secrets of the 90s, Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands
In a Norwegian Wood. Norwegian Art of the Last Decade, Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, Poland
Diarys & Dreams, Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal, Germany
The Black Album, Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea, Milano, Italy.
Central Station - the Harald Falckenberg collection, Maison Rouge, Paris, France
PLAYLIST , Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
2003
Tra Est e Ovest, Gas Art Gallery, Torino, Italy
TABOO ! The Art of Exotica Entertainment, Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France
Twilight, Gimpel Fils, London, UK
De bortbjudna – Malmö Art Museum is visiting Rooseum, Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art, Malmö, Sweden
Models & Mavericks : Exceptional Positions in the Collection Contemporary Art, Museum het Domain, Sittard, Nertherlands.
The Painting never dries..., Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway
Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art, Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria
Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Moderna Museet c/o BAC, Baltic Art Center, Visby, Sweden
M_ARS - Art and War, Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria
Bjarne Melgaard, Svent Jolle, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Erik van Lieshout, Stella Lohaus Gallery, Antwerpen, Belgium
Group Show, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002
Hommage an Rudolf Schwarzkogler,Galerie Krinzinger,Wienna, Austria
Extension:Works from the Collection, Magasin 3, Stockholm Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
REPRESENTED
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Stedeljik Museum, Amsterdam
Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö
Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, Stockholm
Statens Museum for Kunst, Köpenhamn
Astrup Faernley Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsingfors
Musée de la Ville, Strasbourg
S.M.A.K, Gent
Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
Nordea Bank
Statoil, Norway
DNB (Den Norske Bank), Oslo, Norway
Chrystal Meth, Public Library, Partille, Sweden
Bjarne Melgaard’s art deals with the dark side of humanity, such as self-destruction, deviant sexuality and odd religious beliefs. It provides an insight into subcultures and parallel worlds that exists alongside the world of normality. It often discusses, investigates and pushes the boundaries of societal acceptance. The work tells the story of exclusion and fear and it raises questions about instinct and passion, morality and normality.
A male subject that can be seen as one of the artist’s many alter egos often populates the complex and chaotic imagery. As a viewer you sometimes feel like a voyeur with total access to a strangers most intimate sphere.
The same motifs and references appear over and over in Melgaards imagery almost as an obsession; the ape, the dog, black holes and male genitals. It’s almost as if the artist is trying to convince his audience by pounding his vision into their minds and it is not entirely without success - Bjarne Melgaard's art leaves few unmoved.
EDUCATION
1992-93
Jan van Eyck Academie, Maarstricht, Holland
1991-92
Rijksacademie, Amsterdam, Holland
1991
Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo, Norway
1990
Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden.
2015
Munch Museum, Olso, Munch and Melgaard, curated by Lars Toft-Eriksen
2014
Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand, Norway; Bjarne Melgaard: Selected Works From The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
Studio Hugo Opdal (in collaboration with Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo), Flø, Norway; Bjarne Melgaard
2013
Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, Norway
Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York; Bjarne Melgaard: Ignorant Transparencies,
Frieze New York (Gavin Brown’s enterprise)
The Armory Show 2013 (Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo), New York; Bjarne Melgaard Sverre Bjertnes
Fineart, Oslo; Bjarne Melgaard New Drawings and Prints, January 31-February 9
2012
Luxembourg&Dayan Gallery, New York, USA
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), London, England
Ramiken Crucible Gallery, New York, USA
2011
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
Maccarone Gallery, New York, USA.
Venice Biennal, Italy Palazzo Contarini Corfù, Venice; Baton Sinister
2010
Bergen Kunstmuseum, Bergen, Norway
De Appel arts centre, Amsterdam; Bjarne Melgaard/ Rod Bianco “Super Normal,”
Greene Naftali, New York; The Synthetic Slut: A Novel By Bjarne Melgaard
2008
Reena Spaulings Fine Art, New York
Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria
Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
Greene Naftali Gallery, New York
Every Body Counts, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Vestfossen, Norway
2007
Galerie Anne Villepoix, Paris, France
Baro Cruz, Sao Paoulo, Brazil
Galerie Senda, Barcelona, Spain
Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
2006
Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö, Sweden (together with Marie-Louise Ekman)
Minipigs in Space, Galerie Krinzinger,Vienna, Austria
Les Super, Galerie Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
A Weekend of Painting; A novel by Les Super, Leo Koenig, New York, USA
2005
Jasmine La Nuit, The Horse Hospital, London, England
Galerie Senda, Barcelona, Spain
Fin de Copenhague, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Hallo Maybe, Haugar Vestfold Museum, Oslo, Norway
Part 1: Chihuahua Hunger All Words Destroy, Galerie Crone, Berlin; Germany
Life is a Lonely Buffalo, Niels Borch Jensen Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Not a Painting Show, Stella Lohaus Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
2004
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
2003
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
Skam, Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, Norway
The End of The Professional Teenager, Sketch, London, England
2002
Black Low, MARTa Herford Museum, Hannover, Germany
Nothing Special, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Demark
Interface to God, Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Italy
Beginnings, Galerie Daniel Buchholz, Cologne, Germany
2001
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria
2000
Galleri Lars Bohman, Stockholm, Sweden
New Works, Nils Staerk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
1998
More Pricks than Kicks, Astrup Fearnley Museet for Moderne Kunst, Oslo, Norway
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012
Lars Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2011
Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Galerie Proarta, Zürich, Switzerland
Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany
2009
Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA
Helsingborg ♥ Malmö, Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsinborg, Sweden
2008
Greene Naftali, New York, USA
Patricia Low Gallery, Gstaad, Switzerland
Faurschou Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Greene Naftali and Matthew Marks, New York, USA
Galerie Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, Germany
2007
Rubell Family Collection, Miami, USA
Galerie Crone, Berlin, Germany
Rental Gallery, New York, USA
1st Athens Biennial 2007, Athens, Greece
Gagosian Gallery (Madison Avenue), New York, USA
Norrköpings Konstmuseum, Norrköping, Sweden
2006
Helter Helter, Galerie Anne De Villepoix, Paris, France
Superstars: The Celebrity Factor, From Warhol to Madonna, Kunstahlle Wien, Austria
In a Norwegian Wood, Norwegian Art of the Last Decade at the Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Poland
Playlist, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
2005
Willy Wonka Inc., Galleri SE, Bergen, Norway
Superstars The Celebrity Factor. From Warhol to Madonna Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria.
W139, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Bjarne Melgaard introducing Andy Warhol TV June at The Horse Hospital, London, UK
2004
Expressive Nordic Painting, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tirol Transfer,Österreichisches Kulturforum, Warsaw, Poland
Secrets of the 90s, Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands
In a Norwegian Wood. Norwegian Art of the Last Decade, Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, Poland
Diarys & Dreams, Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal, Germany
The Black Album, Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea, Milano, Italy.
Central Station - the Harald Falckenberg collection, Maison Rouge, Paris, France
PLAYLIST , Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
2003
Tra Est e Ovest, Gas Art Gallery, Torino, Italy
TABOO ! The Art of Exotica Entertainment, Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France
Twilight, Gimpel Fils, London, UK
De bortbjudna – Malmö Art Museum is visiting Rooseum, Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art, Malmö, Sweden
Models & Mavericks : Exceptional Positions in the Collection Contemporary Art, Museum het Domain, Sittard, Nertherlands.
The Painting never dries..., Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway
Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art, Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria
Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
Moderna Museet c/o BAC, Baltic Art Center, Visby, Sweden
M_ARS - Art and War, Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria
Bjarne Melgaard, Svent Jolle, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Erik van Lieshout, Stella Lohaus Gallery, Antwerpen, Belgium
Group Show, Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002
Hommage an Rudolf Schwarzkogler,Galerie Krinzinger,Wienna, Austria
Extension:Works from the Collection, Magasin 3, Stockholm Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
REPRESENTED
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Stedeljik Museum, Amsterdam
Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö
Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, Stockholm
Statens Museum for Kunst, Köpenhamn
Astrup Faernley Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsingfors
Musée de la Ville, Strasbourg
S.M.A.K, Gent
Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
Nordea Bank
Statoil, Norway
DNB (Den Norske Bank), Oslo, Norway
Chrystal Meth, Public Library, Partille, Sweden