© We Document Art, 2019

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In contrast to his latest exhibition at Rolando Anselmi (2018, Berlin), where Asger Dybvad Larsen (°1990, Aarhus) showed nine identical paintings, Breaking off branches with inoculated twigs, is loud and rather ‘messy’, however not in the bad sense of the word. Artworks in different compositions, textures and colors mark different stages, and function as individual snapshots, in the artist’s cyclic body of work.

Interested in the studio as a dialectical archive, Larsen reflects on the process of coming into being. Denoting himself as a "... powerless archivist for the indigenous family tree whose branches I constantly break off as proof that the structure really exists", his artistic practice is a constant flux of constructing and deconstructing, of cutting, ripping apart and sewing back together or incorporating (pieces of) older works to create new ones.

Within the painterly language, Larsen combines past and presence. Sometimes he actively refers to art history, which is shown by the casted paint trays that are a formalistic link to Frank Stella’s striped geometric works, other times he uses art history as an important source of inspiration, looking at painters whom he admires (Alexander Tovborg, Magnus Andersen, Ida Ekblad, and Mads Westrup) or artists whom he has a visual familiarity with, such as Piero Manzoni, Conrad Marca-Relli, Alberto Burri, Eva Hesse, Steven Parrino, Samuel Levi Jones and Sterling Ruby.

Whether he creates monochromatic pieces or adds hints of color, uses circular geometrical shapes or the geometrical imprint of a paint tray. The work of Asger Dybvad Larsen has a physicality, determined by a manual and conceptual energy, influenced by his studio and the processes taking place.

Asger Dybvad Larsen lives and works in Aarhus, Denmark. He has exhibited internationally amongst others at Galerie Rolando Anselmi, Berlin/Rome; Pablo’s birthday, New York; L21, Mallorca; Nordic Contemporary, Paris; Fabbrica Orobia, Milan, Arroniz Gallery, Mexico City; Ernesto Esposito Collection, Naples; Galeria Boavista, Lisbon; Larm Gallery, Copenhagen; Rod Barton, London; Brask Collection, Munkeruphus, Gilleleje, etc. After a solo exhibition in Knokke, Breaking off banches with inoculated twigs will be first solo of Asger Dybvad Larsen in Geukens & De Vil Antwerp.

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