Born in Oslo, Norway. Lives and works in London and Palermo

WITH A PAST IN OSLO AND LONDON AS A PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER, A PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT, A CLEANER, A HOUSE KEEPER, A HOME CARER, A CHAMBER MAID, A WAITRESS, A COOK, A FOOD WRITER, A FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER, A KITCHEN PORTER, AN OPERA OFFICER, A NURSERY WORKER, A FLORIST, AND MORE: BIRGITTE AASEN IS CURRENTLY USING HER FIRST CLASS BA FINE ART DEGREE FOR ART MAKING.

THE USE OF DIFFERENT MEDIA IN HER ART PRACTICE IS A DELIBERATE ACT TO AVOID THE RESTRICTION OF A SPECIFIC STYLE OR METHOD, REFLECTING HER DIVERGENT APPROACH TO WORK AND LIFE.

IN HER MOST RECENT PROJECTS, HOWEVER, SHE HAS FOCUSED ON PAINTING. SHE WORKS INTUITIVELY AND THE PROCESS FROM AN IDEA TO A FINISHED WORK CAN BE AS BRIEF AND FLEETING AS THAT OF A PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER. ALTHOUGH SOURCE MATERIAL MAY HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED FOR YEARS, PAINTINGS ARE OFTEN EXECUTED IN A MATTER OF HOURS. TEXTS ARE SHORT AND OFTEN TWISTED VERSIONS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES. HER VIDEO WORKS, WITH THEIR NON-EVENTFUL AND STILL NATURE, SOMETIMES ALLUDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY.

LANDSCAPE, STILL LIFE, RELIGIOUS AND DOMESTIC SCENES ARE THEMES FREQUENTLY BORROWED FROM NORWEGIAN ROMANTIC NATIONALISM, ITALIAN BAROQUE AND FROM DUTCH STILL LIFE, FROM FOUND IMAGES OR OWN PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL. THE WORKS OFTEN EXIST AS FRAGMENTS OR RECOLLECTIONS FROM AN UPROOTED LIFE LIVED BETWEEN NORWAY, SICILY AND THE UK. A LIFE WHERE SOME THINGS WILL ALWAYS BE LACKING WHILST OTHER THINGS HAVE GRADUALLY DISAPPEARED FOR GOOD. THESE FRAGMENTS SOMETIMES BECOME EXAMINATIONS OF SENTIMENTALITY, BUT ARE NOT INTENDED AS SENTIMENTAL DOCUMENTS. SUBJECTS SUCH AS THE FEMININE, THE ABSURD, DOMESTIC ROLES AND CLASS OFTEN FORM A PART OF AASEN’S PROJECTS.

@ birgitteaasen.com

EDUCATION

2005-2008   BA Fine Art – Sculpture – Central Saint Martins College – UAL London

1991-1993   Photography – Sogn Further Education –  Oslo Norway

1990   Philosophy Foundation Course – University of Oslo  Norway

EXHIBITIONS

2026   Neighbouring, goup show – WIP SPACE, London

2025   Encounter, goup show – FIVE YEARS, Archway London

2024   WIP Space Group Show – Steam Works Gallery, London

2017   Painting [Now],  group show – Studio One Gallery,  London

2016   Intimacy//Paradise III – Fill The Gap gallery, Leytonstone, London

2015   Ordinary Moments, solo show – Sable d’Or, London

2015   Material Solace, solo show – Boulangerie Bon Matin, London

2015   HEADS, group show – Studio One Gallery, London

2014   If I had been taller I could have… solo show – Studio One Gallery, London

2013   Micro Residency 2,  hosted by Departure Foundation, City of  London

2012   Orchestrated, group show-  Studio One/Cato Music Hall, London

2011   The Moroccan Gardens Group show, Pimlico, London

2011   Cryptic, group show,  The Crypt St. Pancras Church, London

2009   Beyond Rectangles, solo show, Studio One Gallery, London

2009   Open Studios, group show, Wandsworth Art Village, London

2008   CSM 08 Degree show, Central Saint Martins College, London

2007   Take away (two), group show, My Life in Art, Broadway Market, London

2007   ASDA Group show, Tottenham Court Road, London

2004   Høstutstillingens Utvalgte Selected Artists, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Sandefjord Norway

2003   Høstutstillingen National Art Exhibition,  Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo  Norway