Simon Spang-Hanssen
Simon Cato Spang -Hanssen
painter, composer, saxophonist
Born in 1955 in Copenhagen
Started oil-painting in 1967; originally inspired by the impressionists he quickly discovered Kandinsky, Klee, Miró…
By the end of the seventies music took over, and he worked (and works) as a saxophonist and composer in many
contexts (mainly jazz), mostly in Denmark and France (where he lived from 1985-98) , and also in Brazil, Tanzania,
Germany, Italy, Sweden...
From 2002 painting came back; first exhibition was in the record-store The Jazz Cellar entitled "Music Makers" (2002); a presentation of oil and gouache with inspirations from a.o. African and Oceanic art, Picasso, Braque, Victor Brauner, Wifredo Lam, COBRA.…
Exhibitions :
2002
“Music Makers “ The Jazz Cellar , Copenhagen
“Imaginary Portraits “ composers-association D.J.B.F.A Copenhagen
2004
“Masks and Spirits “ The Jazz Cellar, Copenhagen
2005
Bartof Gallery, Frederiksberg
“Signs and Rhythms” , The Jazz Cellar
“ Jungle Life “ , D.J.B.F.A
2006
Musicians Union Kunstforening (art association), Copenhagen
Gallery Arleth, Horbelev
2007
Gallery Pialeh, Frederiksberg
Collective exhibition Gallery Raku, Hjortdal
“Jazz- Life” , The Jazz Cellar
2008
Gallery Arleth, Horbelev
2009
Gallery Pialeh, Frederiksberg
Ministery of Education Kunstforening "Minerva"
EPOS Kunstforening
"Microcosmes" D.J.B.F.A , Copenhagen
2010
Havarthigaarden, Holte with Erling Rasmussen
Gaz-Museum, Hobro, with Ole Bundgaard
2011
"SaFaRi" with Ramuntcho Matta , Frederic Dutertre and Shrederique Fantune, Sometimestudio, Paris, France
"Masks and Beings" Gallery Pialeh, Copenhagen
2012
"Sign Language " with Jan Kaspersen, Den Gule Villa, Copenhagen, may 2012
Bang & Olufsen Kunstforening ( art association) january 2012
Solvognen Kunstforening , Odsherred march,april,may 2012
"Inner Cities" , Biblioteket , Danasvej, Frederiksberg, 1-31 october 2012
2013
"Polycurrents" Lyngby Stadsbibliotek, march 5-30 2013
Kunstforeninger : ESS-Food , Brøndby - Cobham, Lyngby
2014
”Intersections” Galleri BLOCH, Kbh.
2015 Kunstforeninger: Mark Information Lyngby, BASF, Rødekro
" Nattens Væsen, Dagens Nar" , Gule Villa, Fredriksberg with Jette Botchinsky,
Maria Bloch og Ole Bundgaard
2016 Kunstnerlauget af 2013, group-exhibition at Frederiksberg Rådhus
exhibition in Det Lille Musikhus during Copenhagen Jazzfestival
FRB Kunst (censured), fdr. Fredriksberg Town Hall , october
2017
"Polycurrents" Galleri Øckenlund, Frederiksberg in may 2017
Café Amazônia, Copenhagen, september,october 2017
Kunstvaerket, Frederiksberg, pop-up exhibitions with Rithva Landler, Lene Kjeldsen, Sjulle Schulstad, Ibrahim Yassin...)
2018,
Den Gule Villa, group-exhibition Frederiksberg Kunstnerlaug (Grethe Tranberg, Jeff Ibbo, Bjørn Ignatius, Rithva Landler)
Vesterbro Raw
Maanefiskeren, Christiania w. Rithva.dk
2019-21
SIRA Galleri ØckenLund with Ramuntcho Matta
gæst med FUGA i Brøndsalen
udstillinger i Basement Art Studio med bl.a. Rithva Landler, Thomas Agergaard, Lennart Schou
Malende Musikere i ARENA, Næstved, Lundsgaard Gods og Farum Kulturhus m. Randi Laubek, Mona Larsen, Troels Trier, Birgit Løkke...
Text for the exhibition "Confluences" by art historian Cilia Espeland
"The paintings of Simon Spang-Hanssen (1955,DK), invites the viewer to a magical and adventurous journey, in which the mutable, imaginary and fascinating flows together. The artwork moves, activates and engages the viewer.
With colourful expression and playful forms the pieces comes alive with humour and poetry. The simple, yet expressive means bears witness to the fact that Spang-Hanssen's creativity is not confined to his musical career,"
Simon Spang-Hanssens (DK, 1955) malerier inviterer beskueren på en magisk og eventyrlig rejse, hvor det foranderlige, fantasifulde og fascinerende flyder sammen. Kunstværkerne bevæger, aktiverer og engagerer beskueren. Med farverige udtryk og legende former bliver værkerne levende med poetiske og humoristiske udtryk. De enkle men dog udtryksfulde virkemidler vidner om, at Simon Spang-Hanssens opfindsomhed og kreativitet ikke kun er forbeholdt hans musikalske karriere. Farver og former er i værkerne sat sammen i æstetiske relationer, og de flygtige gestikulationer af organiske og lyriske penselstrøg fører tankerne hen på jazzmusikkens vuggende rytmer og improvisatoriske frihed. Simon Spang-Hanssen er inspirereret af bl.a. Kandinsky, Picasso og Miro, men det er tydeligt, han i værkerne har fundet sin egen ”klangfarve”, sin stil, som tjener til hans individuelle, kunstneriske udtryk. Tekst: Cilia Espeland , kunsthistoriker