John Kørner

John Kørner (born 1967 in Aarhus) is one of Denmark’s most acclaimed contemporary artists. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1992 to 1998 and lives and works in Copenhagen. His artistic practice encompasses painting, printmaking, sculpture, and installations.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Kørner’s art is his fascination with "problems." He uses the word both as a concrete motif and as a philosophical starting point. A problem can be personal, political, or societal—but it can also concern the very question of what art should be and how an image communicates with its viewer.

At first glance, Kørner’s paintings may appear playful and beautiful. He often works with bold, clear colors and employs a characteristic painterly technique using thin, almost fluid paint. Beneath this appealing surface, however, lie often much darker or more complex issues: war, climate change, consumerism, migration, relationships, and the ways in which humans organize society.

Kørner has an extensive international exhibition history. He has exhibited at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Tate in London, Art Basel, and ARoS, among many other international museums and art institutions. His work is represented in significant collections, including those of Moderna Museet and Danish museums such as ARoS, Arken, and Statens Museum for Kunst.

The exhibition at Ravinen features both older and new works, with a focus on painting, sculpture, and printmaking.