Kirstine Roepstorff (b. 1972, Denmark) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the intricate relationship between humanity, spirituality, and the natural world. At the core of her practice is a critical examination of the "in-between" spaces - where personal transformation intersects with collective consciousness. Roepstorff interrogates how history, politics, and existential realities shape our perceptions of time, space, and identity, often revisiting ancient techniques and lost knowledge to challenge the modern reliance on external systems.

The ocean and cosmology serve as recurring narrative elements in her work, which spans a variety of mediums including collages, paintings, sculptures, tapestries, glass, and immersive installations. Roepstorff’s collages are often composed of materials such as fabrics, photocopies, textiles, foils, brass, wood, and paper, while her sculptural works frequently feature horizontal lines that symbolize layers of consciousness. Through her use of diverse forms and materials, Roepstorff critiques contemporary social structures and power dynamics, inviting viewers to reconnect with their ‘inner technology’ - a deeper, more intuitive way of navigating the world. In 2024, she launched Earth School, a platform offering ongoing workshops and seminars designed to provide tangible tools for personal transformation and collective renewal.

Roepstorff holds an MFA from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (1994-2001) and Rutgers University in New Jersey (2000). In the 1990s, she was an active member of the artist collectives Kvinder på Værtshus and Kørners Kontor. In 2017, she represented Denmark at the 57th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, with the exhibition influenza. theater of glowing darkness. In 2018, she was selected, along with three other artists, to create one of Denmark’s largest decorative art commissions in history, celebrating Koldinghus’s 750-year jubilee.

Roepstorff has received the Eckersberg Medal and the Ny Carlsberg Foundation Art Prize. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in permanent collections worldwide, including MoMA (US), The Saatchi Gallery (UK), The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (NO), Woods Art Institute (DE), Statens Museum for Kunst (DK), Arken (DK), and the Danish Art Foundation (DK), among others. She has completed significant public art projects, including Horizons and Moons in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, The Galactic Community Park at Aalborg University (DK), Bib Au Natura in Randers (DK), Three Paradoxes–Three Medicine Balls–Three Forces in Buddinge (DK), Cosmic Dance in Fjellhamar (NO), Hydra in Fredericia (DK), The Heart of the Whale in Middelfart (DK), Untitled at Lillebælt Hospital (DK), Gong at DOKK1 Public Library in Aarhus (DK), and Klangfrø at the University of Copenhagen (DK).

Photo: Davy Denke / Rytter & Denke

  • Born 1972, Denmark

    Resides in Fredericia, Denmark

    EDUCATION

    1994 - 2001: MFA, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2000: MFA, Rutgers University, Mason School of Fine Arts, New Jersey, United States

    SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

    2026

    • DISTILLATION (through) NUX, 2112, Charlottenlund, Denmark

    2025

    • Neptune Lab 29°, Vejle Kunstmuseum, Vejle, Denmark

    2023

    • Earth School Classroom, Gallery 2112, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2022

    • G(r)ain, Kunsthal Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

    2019

    • Ex Cave, Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland

    2018

    • Renaissance of the Night, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Edicius & Lilith, Trapholt Museum for Moderne Kunst, Kolding, Denmark

    2017

    • Influenza: Theatre of Glowing Darkness, 57th Bienniale di Venezia, Venice, Italy

    2016

    • Rehearsing Volume, Andersen’s Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2014

    • When You Light a Lantern in the Summer Night Many Strange Things Come Flying, Kunstverein Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

    • Mother Of Time Showing Her Fruits, The Danish Cultural Institute, Dublin, Ireland

    2013

    • Ring of Silence, Fredericia Kunstforening, Fredericia, Denmark

    • Walking Beside Time, Kunstpalais Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

    2012

    • Structures, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London, United Kingdom

    • When a Drop Unite, Patricia Low Contemporary, Saanen, Switzerland

    2011

    • Wunderkammer of Formlessness, Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, Norway

    2010

    • Dried Dew Drops: Wunderkammer of Formlessness, Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Basel, Switzerland

    • Illuminating Shadows, Peres Projects, Berlin, Germany

    • Illuminating Shadows, Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck, Austria

    • Illuminating Shadows,; Stadtgalerie, name of city, Austria

    2009

    • Nuit: Sun Forms of Beneath, Kunsthallen Brandts, Odense, Denmark

    • The Inner Sound that Kills the Outer, MUSAC, Leon, Spain

    • Rainbows, Galleri Christina Wilson, Copenhagen, Denmark

    SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

    2026

    • Efterglød, The Roundtower, Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Liberté & Tradition, Le Bicolore, Paris, France

    2025

    • Tapisseries Royales -  Grand Palais, Paris, France

    • Ragna Braase - Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2024

    • When You Lose Control, Glas - Museum of Glass Art, Ebeltoft, Denmark

    • Frieze Sculpture, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom

    • Arts Project, Sankt Hans, Roskilde, Denmark

    • Cosmic Connection, Galerie Møller Witt, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2023

    • First There Is A Mountain, Wadden Tide, Blåvand, Denmark

    • Ej Blot til Lyst, Gallery 2112, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2022

    • New Works, Gallery 2112, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2021

    • Eye of the Huntress, Banja Rathnov Galleri, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2019

    • Ocean Dwellers, Nordic Embassies, Berlin, Germany

    • The King is Dead, Cermak Eisenkraft, Prague, Czech Republic

    2017-18

    • Samtidskunst på Hospitaler, KØS Museum of Public Art, Køge, Denmark

    • Cool, Calm, Collected, ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, Aarhus, Denmark

    • Teser, The Round Tower, Copenhagen, Denmark (travelling exhibition: Ribe Art Museum, Ribe, Denmark; Fuglsang Kunstmuseum, Toreby L. Denmark; Stiftung Christliche Kunst Wittenberg, Wittenberg, DE)

    2016

    • Variation in Scandinavian Abstractions, Galleri Brandstrup, Oslo, Norway

    2015

    • Poor Art - Rich Legacy. Arte Povera and Parallel Practices 1968–2015, National Museum of Art, Oslo, Norway

    • The Essential Bruce Springsteen, Andersen’s Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Efterklang / Reverberations, Röda Sten Konsthall, Gothenburg, Sweden

    • Moon Skin Lucid Walk, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Grønningen 100th Anniversary Exhibition, Museumsbygningen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    2014

    • Avantgarde Mecanique, Galleri Tom Christoffersen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Coming From, Overgaden Institute of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark

    PUBLIC COMMISSIONS

    • Axel Time -  Tapestry, Koldinghus, Kolding, Denmark

    • The Galactic Community Park, Aalborg University Campus Park, Aalborg, Denmark

    • Bib Au Natura, Nordre Fælled Public Park, Randers, Denmark

    • Three Paradoxes–Three Medicine Balls–Three Forces, Citizen Healthcare Centre, Buddinge, Denmark

    • Cosmic Dance, Town Square, Fjellhamar, Norway

    • Hydra, Kanalbyen Parking House, Fredericia, Denmark

    • The Heart of the Whale, Town Hall, Middelfart, Denmark

    • Untitled, Lillebælt Hospital, Kolding, Denmark

    • Gong, DOKK1 Public Library, Aarhus, Denmark

    • Klangfrø, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

    • Arken Museum of Modern Art, Denmark

    • Danish Arts Foundation, Denmark

    • Esbjergs Kunstmuseum, Denmark

    • HEART, Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Denmark

    • Malmö Kunstmuseum, Sweden

    • MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, United States

    • Ny Carlsberg Foundation, Denmark

    • Reydan Weiss Collection, Germany

    • Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark

    • The National Museum of Denmark, Denmark

    • The National Museum of Norway, Norway

    • The Sainsbury Centre, United Kingdom

    • The Saatchi Gallery, United Kingdom

    • Trapholt Museum of Modern Art, Denmark

    • Woods Art Institute, Germany

    BOARD WORK

    2022 - Member of the board, Jutland Art Academy

    2018 - Jan Søndergaard and Wife’s Memorial Foundation

    AWARDS

    • Art Prize, Ny Carlsberg Foundation, Denmark, 2015

    • The Eckersberg Medaillen, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Denmark, 2014

    • Ole Haslunds Kunstnerfond, Denmark, 2014

    • Sven Hols’ Legat, Akademiraadet, Denmark, 2012

    • Zartmanns Legat, The Danish Arts Foundation, Denmark, 2007

    MONOGRAPHS AND EXHIBITION CATALOGUES

    • The Archive of Dark, In Other Words, London, United Kingdom, 2021

    • Common Cold, König Buchverlag, Berlin, Germany, 2017 

    • Horizons of the Moving Mind, Kunstverein Göttingen, Argobooks, Berlin, Germany, 2014

    • Walking Beside Time, Kunstpalais Erlangen, Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2014

    • Dried Dew Drops: Wunderkammer of Formlessness, Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Basel, Switzerland, 2010

    • Illuminating Shadows, Stadtgalerie Schwarz, Düsseldorf, Germany, 2010

    • Nuit: Sun Forms of Beneath, Kunsthallen Brandts, Odense, Denmark, 2009

    • The Inner Sound that Kills the Outer, Museum of Contemporary Art (MUSAC),  JRP Ringier, Leon, France, 2008 

    • DADDY III - Fleur du Mal, Peres Projects, Berlin, 2007

    • It's Not the Eye of the Needle that Changed, Drawing Center, New York, 2007

    • Who Decides Who Decides, Revolver, 2004