High Artist Spotlight: Ulrik S.
For more than three decades Ulrik have painted on walls and canvas. His work is fundamentally inspired by the longstanding fascination with that which is more than meets the eye. The canvas works consists of many layers – reflected in the use of acrylic paint, brush, airbrush and spray can – from abstraction to figuration, resulting in a multidimensional final composition.The body of work reflects the artist’s intention to look within and channel the inner source; a theme that recurs in elemental fashion, at once powerfully and with a subtle and innately suggestive form rewarding of closer inspection.Ulrik’ s paintings, drawings and murals conceptualize and visualize an exploration of depth and contrast. Early inspiration was drawn from artistic expressions in graffiti art, graphic novels, surrealism, pop art –alongside studies in traditional draughtsmanship. A five month stay in the Bay Area in California, at the age of 18, was a life changing experience, which let him to his lifelong artistic path. Seeing the many murals in California, the idea arose that Copenhagen as well should have something of this nature.The artist´s biggest contribution to this, was the epic mural `Evolution’, painted in Copenhagen over two summers in 1999 and 2000. The 170 meter long wall painting visualize the origin of life on earth. Part 2 was painted in 2018.Ulrik´ s artistic journey has seen him based for two decades in Copenhagen, and also commissioned for projects across Europe, and a three year art project at the yoga and meditation resort The Mandala, at the Indian Subcontinent. He currently lives and works on the coastline in northern Denmark.
We recently asked Ulrik some questions about his inspirations:
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Q: Where do you find your creative inspiration?
A: "
Everyday observations, walks in nature, literature and a back catalogue of ideas, from a time when the waves of inspiration were high. But some of the best
inspiration has come, when waiting at the laundromat! I havn´t bought a washing
machine because of this."
inspiration has come, when waiting at the laundromat! I havn´t bought a washing
machine because of this."
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Q: Why do you do what you do?
A: "
Continuing a vocation, to bring more imagination, colors, artistic ideas into the
world."
world."
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Q: What art/artist do you most identify with?
A: "
Modern art 1860´s- 1960´s, especially surrealism. Street- and graffiti-art."
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Q: What role does an artist have in society?
A: "
One thing could be to give the possibility, to see the world from some other angles and perspectives. Guess it varies from artist to artist though…"
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Q: What is your artistic outlook on life?
A: "
Life is the ultimate, greatest work of art! Like- from my studio view the ever changing sunsets can be enjoyed, sometimes they appear like spray can- or airbrush strokes on that huge canvas. Drawing, let's say trees, closely observing their structures and shapes while drawing them, gives you a deeper connection to trees for some time, you don't just walk by them, believing you've seen that, done that. Art opens up the world, keeping it alive."
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Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: "More focus on one direction in artistic expression"
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