Biography & Statement

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For more than 20 years, Søren Behncke's artistic practice has been based on cardboard found in the streets. With this waste product from consumer culture as a starting point, Behncke creates paintings, sculptures and installations. In Denmark, Behncke is also known under the alias 'Papfar' (literally ‘cardboard dad’, Danish vernacular for ‘stepdad’) due to the spectacular happenings and stagings of cardboard sculptures in public space. The most famous and spectacular took place in 2004 at ARoS – Aarhus Art Museum, when the artist placed a huge slingshot made of cardboard on the plinth of Boy, the well- known sculpture by the Australian artist Roy Mueck. Today, the same museum has more than 20 works by Søren Behncke in their permanent collection.

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Over the years, Behncke has developed and refined his own vocabulary of shapes. He refers to this study and development of forms as 'Visuel Mutations' , which constitutes a distinct visual alphabet – an alternative to the verbal or written language. Objects from other artists' studios and paintings are appropriated - a door from Van Gogh's studio in Arles, a cat from Le Corbusier's studio kitchen, a lamp from Fernand Léger's Académie Moderne in Paris etc. At this exhibition, several of these 'Visuel Mutations' appear both in paintings and in sculptures.

 

Søren Behncke's works are found in most major private art collections in Denmark and the artist is also represented in a number of Danish museums, including Aros, Aarhus Art Museum, Museum Jorn, Vejle Art Museum, KØS – Museum of art in public spaces, Museum Brundlund Slot, The New Carlsberg Foundation and Danish Art Foundation.

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