Michael Kvium

Michael Kvium, a Danish artist renowned for his illustrations and paintings, captures grotesque creatures with a striking realism. Through his art, Kvium subtly critiques the darker aspects of human nature, including his own. He once reflected on the importance of portraying the entirety of human experience, from vulnerability to frailty, spanning youth to old age. 

Kvium remarked, “When you are working existentially, as I do, it's very important, all the while, to try to include the whole person, and the whole person is, of course, also the feeling of being human, from when one is very young until old age.”

Born on November 15, 1955, in Horsens, Denmark, Kvium honed his craft under the mentorship of Albert Mertz and Stig Brøgger at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Alongside artist Christian Lemmerz, he co-founded Værkstedet Værst, a collaborative workshop for performance art. Today, Kvium's works grace prestigious collections worldwide, including the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, the Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum in Beijing, and the Cabinet Des Estampes in Geneva.

Residing and creating in Copenhagen, Kvium's art continues to provoke thought and evoke emotions, offering a nuanced exploration of the human condition.