Sergej Jensen has amazing control over form in his expressionistic fabric and paint collages. His pieces are always done on some fabric plane, with either other fabric cuts attached (“Wrong Truth,” 2004), or some treatment done to the surface, such as bleaching a shape onto the face (“Curtains,” 2004), or a combination of the two, and some other techniques as well. As with all artists I like, his aesthetics are what initially attracted me, before I consider whatever drives the creative process. Being a fan of abstract expressionism and minimalism particularly can lead me to artists whose visuals I love, but their concept is as unattractive as their end product is striking. This is typically what separates, for me, an artist that I “like” from one who enters my realm of “favorites.” Although I only recently discovered Jensen’s work, I was immediately struck by his muted colors and relatively simple, organic forms; the textures derived from his materials are also wonderful. Reading more about his process and work – it’s very utilitarian in that the fabric sources are inseparable from his concepts and how he often disassembles one piece to salvage material for another. I really respect art that strips down to what is necessary, and un-sanctifies itself, as Jensen does. Although the inspiration of an individual piece may not initially be evident, titles and looking at the materials used to create it often demystify it, or at least provide some context.
"Wrong Truths," 2004, Sergej Jensen. From White Cube's announcement of his 2007 show at the Douglas Hyde Gallery in Dublin. They're also much more eloquent than I in their review of his work.
"Spaceship Windows," Sergej Jensen. From swide.com's review of The Last Twenty Minutes of 2001 by Sergej Jensen.
White Cube has a great write-up on his work, and a ton of examples of his stuff.
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