There is an obvious formal likeness between Andreas Albrectsen’s drawings and graphic work. But there are also similarities in an artistic approach to the two media. Andreas Albrectsen’s hands-on practice both in drawing and intaglio are anchored in Andreas Albrectsen’s intellectual curiosity. Whether working with drawing, printmaking or installation Andreas Albrectsen is driven by an idea, his technical bravura is only a means to the end.

A characteristic trait of Andreas Albrectsen’s artistic practice is an intellectual play of associations. Andreas Albrectsen’s works are a visual rebus made entirely out of pictures. Making use of photorealistic drawing Andreas Albrectsen creates collages where separate images are to form a new composition. Distanced from their original context those images are placed next to each other to convey new meaning. Since Andreas Albrectsen’s original intention with the work remains unknown to the spectator the interpretation of the artist’s mental intention becomes the real subject of the work.

Second Nature

In his intaglio work, Andreas Albrectsen supplies the key to the rebus by offering the viewer a title. Second Nature can allude to many things. One possible interpretation that occurs immediately looking at the composition is the unnatural state in which both the human and animal figures are presented to us. The state of beyond control of the woman is probably a depiction of the effects of alcohol abuse. Against her lifeless body, we have the gesture freshness of a scratching animal. Its freshness, however, is only an illusion. Attached to a pedestal this stuffed puppet is only a shadow of the animal it once was. Outside of their natural ambience, the two protagonists are documented in a state that shouldn’t be theirs, and yet it becomes their second nature when portrayed like that by Andreas Albrectsen.

Andreas Albrectsen, born 1986, lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. He received a BFA from Gerrit Rietveld Academie (NL) and an MFA from Malmö Art Academy (SE).

Andreas Albrectsen’s most recent exhibitions include Superbloom, Galeria Anita Schwartz, Rio de Janeiro, (BR), Bella, C.C.C, Copenhagen, (DK) and Stationary, Galleri Arnstedt, Östra Karup, (SE).

His work is included in the collections of SMK - The National Gallery of Denmark (DK), Malmö Art Museum (SE), Vejle Art Museum (DK), The Danish Arts Foundation (DK) and The New Carlsberg Foundation (DK), among others. He is the recipient of fellowships from Ebba Elizabeth & Kristian Larsens Foundation, Den Hielmstierne-Rosencroneske Stiftelse, Edstranska Foundation Scholarship and The Danish Arts Foundation.

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Andreas Albrectsen belongs to the younger generation of draftsmen that like Morten Schelde contributed to the renaissance of drawing as an artistic media in Denmark.