Lars Nørgård
Born: 25th October 1956, Aalborg, Denmark
Educated at Skolen for Brugskunst, Copenhagen, 1975-78,
Academy of Art College, San Francisco, 1980-81
Member of “Workshop Worst” from 1982 to 1984
Affiliated to the art group “De Unge Vilde” throughout the 1980’s
Lars Nørgård worked from 1977 until 1980 in a photo realistic style. During his studies in USA 1980-81, his paintings changed with an emphasis on abstract expression, especially inspired by the artist, Willem De Kooning. His palette was now “Americanised”, with strong, bold and light colours. On his return to Denmark, Lars Nørgård joined his acquaintance, Erik A. Frandsen’s experimental art school, “Workshop Worst”. Lars Nørgård was a part of this art community, and developed over the next few years a figurative style, more allegorical paintings with the members of Workshop Worst as stage models. From 1986, Lars Nørgård alternated between an abstract expressional style, now with a heavy Nordic colour pallet, and a tight cartoonist figurative style. In 1998, Lars Nørgård decided to stop the pendulum, and chose to gather the threads to create the painting style, that today are characteristic for the artist – an amalgamation of figures and space, a picture devoid of a complete explanation, an energetic expression with both abstract and surreal elements. The surreal elements come from the many, completely over simplified line drawings within Lars Nørgård’s parallel production.