Kjetil Jul

Norwegian figurative artist Kjetil Jul captures the essence and soul of people, spaces and objects through his paintings. The dynamic stance of interconnectedness between the subject and their background space comes forth intensely in his practice. In his portraits, the background setting merges seamlessly with the essence and the personality of the depicted person. The sitting chair, walls, carpets, purport to be potential storytelling props, revealing little details about the social status of the subject and their emotional state.

One also gets to see a depiction of indoor spaces in his works. These paintings representing a living room or a library give an intimate peep into the world of its inhabitants. Human figures are absent from these works and yet one gets an eerie sense of human presence. Significantly, a photographic element pervades in these paintings while capturing architectural spaces.

After completing his art education, Kjetil Jul began to specialise in classical figurative painting. Within this genre, he focused on interiors, landscapes and portraits. However, Jul has been experimenting with his artistic style over the last couple of years. His works have transformed into a figurative style combined with abstract lines and surfaces. Jul has exhibited his works in many solo exhibitions across Norway, Sweden and Germany.