Ever wondered what it’s like to juggle two dozen problems at once? Here we are standing in front of the “Woman with 24 Problems Mural”. This striking mural is near the Amagerbro metro station in Copenhagen.
The Woman with 24 Problems Mural is based on an original painting. Danish artist John Kørner created it in 2004. The mural itself was painted in 2005. Kørner is one of Denmark’s most significant contemporary artists. His powerful artworks often reflect current political and social questions.
The notion of the problem has been a recurring theme in his work. It figures as a painted motive or as a physical object. In 2006, Kørner created the Woman with 24 Problems in collaboration with Politiken.
John Kørner turned 50 in 2017. Kunsthal Charlottenborg presented the largest exhibition of his works to date. The exhibition focused on the social issues Kørner has addressed over the years. It covered more than 1000 square meters. The retrospective exhibition looked at Kørner’s major contribution to the renewal of contemporary painting. The exhibition paid attention to his unique ability to express himself beyond the canvas. He uses spatial installations. He approaches art as something that can express beauty and social engagement.
Kørner created a new series of paintings for the exhibition “Altid Mange Problemer”. He also made several site-specific and immersive installations. Both abstract space and the recognizable motif of the everyday meet in his work. There is a persistent sense of the uncanny in Kørner’s portrayals. He shows the problems, emotions, moods, and dreams of modern life.
The exhibition gathered several of Kørner’s most notable series of paintings. These included ‘Kvinder til salg’, ‘War Problems’, and ‘Outdoor Struggling’. Marie Nipper curated the exhibition. She was previously chief-curator at ARoS Aarhus Art Museum and senior curator at Tate Liverpool, UK.
John Kørner has exhibited at numerous museums and art institutions. He has carried out several permanent commissions. These include the mural Afghanistan at the Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg. In 2000, he was awarded the prestigious international Carnegie Art Award. This was just two years after graduating from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In 2012, he received the Danish honorary medal ‘Eckersberg Medaillen’. That same year, he received the art critic’s award for the exhibition ‘Kvinder til salg’ at Arbejdermusset.
Kørner’s work is held in the collections of several national museums. These include KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art in Aalborg and ARoS Aarhus Art Museum. You can also find his work at HEART Herning Art Museum and The National Museum of Art in Copenhagen.
So, as you gaze upon the Woman with 24 Problems Mural, consider the layers of meaning. Think about the artist’s perspective on the complexities of modern life. It’s a thought-provoking piece. It invites us to reflect on our own problems and challenges.