Anna Bak (b. 1985, Denmark) is a visual artist and curator. She works in different medias, primarily with installation and sculpture. She took her Master in Fine Arts from The Funen Arts Academy in Denmark with a supplementing Fulbright exchange year at Montana State University in Bozeman, USA. In 2014 she was granted a residency at the renowned post-academic research institute, Jan Van Eyck Academie, in Maastricht, Netherlands. In Denmark she has exhibited at art institutions like GL STRAND in Copenhagen, Kunsthal NORD in Aalborg, and Overgaden – institute for contemporary art in Copenhagen. Internationally she has exhibited at Museum Het Valkhof in Nijmegen, Studio 47 in Amsterdam, and Glucksman Gallery in Cork, Ireland. She has been granted artist in residency programs from the Danish Art Foundation in Istanbul, Turkey and at Capacete institute in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. In 2015 she launched the book Wilderness Survival – A Guide to the Aesthetics of Survivalism, published by the Dutch publisher and exhibition space Onomatopee. Anna Bak is represented by Marie Kirkegaard Gallery in Copenhagen.
Bak is interested in stories that are based on conflicts between nature and culture as well as socio-cultural paradoxes. She examines the way people observe and relate to nature and geographical placement at an existential level; in particular connected with a post-industrial melancholy and melancholy associated with the loss of harmony with nature. Through her work as a visual artist, Anna Bak explores human and the artist's conflict-filled or ambivalent encounters with nature. In line with this, Anna Bak often uses natural or relatively unprocessed materials such as wood, leather, clay or stone.
Bak has a site specific focus in her productions, with architectural or historical references of the locations. For several years a central focal point for Bak's works has been based on the historical figures who have attached themselves to nature and its open, deserted expanses; ranging from hermits, rangers, botanists, nature romantics to so-called ‘doomsday preppers’. Through her works, a paradoxical monument is formed over these characters, where nostalgia and utopia, cognition and disillusionment, withdrawal and self-staging, goes hand in hand.
A characteristic notion that runs across Bak's artistic work, is the fundamental human emotions such as desperation, loneliness and melancholy. Translated into visually alluring works, however, a certain optimism is also traced in the possibility of transformation drawn in her playful combinations of materials and cultural references.
Born: 24th april 1985, Grindsted, Denmark
Education
2018-2020: Ma Curating, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
2014-2015: Jan Van Eyck Academie, post-academic studies. Maastricht, Netherlands
2010-2011: Montana State University - art-department, Bozeman, international exchange student, USA
2007-2012: The Funen Art Academy(DFK), Odense, Denmark
2005-2007: Århus art-school (Byhøjskolen), Århus, Denmark
1999-2004: Highschool; Vestjysk Gymnasium Tarm (VGT), Denmark
Honors/awards
2020: Five works purchased by The Danish Art Councils to be part of their national collection
2020: Danish Arts Council annual work grant
2018: Danish Arts Council annual work grant
2017: Ville Chistensens grant
2016: Danish Arts Council annual work grant
2016: The Danish Arts Councils Artist in residency program for Capacete, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
2015: Danish Arts Council annual work grant
2014: Danish Arts Council annual work grant
2014: Inger and Aage Nielsens honor grant
2014: Knud Højgaards Fond, grant for participation at The Jan Van Eyck institute
2013: The Danish Arts Councils Artist in residency program for Istanbul, Turkey
2012: Choosen for the international juried group-show; "Extract", at Gallery Gl. Strand, Copenhagen, Denmark
2010: Fulbright Foundation, international exchange program
2020
October 9th - 14th November
Through the impact of time my scars will show - solo exhibition at Marie Kirkegaard Gallery, Copenhagen, DK
2019
23rd of September - 12th of October
FSC BATTLE#6 - G.ON.E. - Collaborative Exhibition with artist Joseph Flynn (AU) at FSC, Brønshøj, DK
May 24 – June 29
Babylon - Group exhibition at Marie Kirkegaard Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
25th january - 17th March
Hermit -Solo exhibition at Overgaden Institute for contemporary art. Copenhagen, Denmark.
2018
16th november - 16th december
I Will Survive -Group exhibition and publication, exhibition collaboration between Alta Art Space and Galleri CC, Malmø, Sweeden.
1st- 8th July
Letters of Last resort - Group-exhibition "Letters of Last resort" at the Gallery Damian And The Love Guru, Brussels, Belgium
5th Apil - 4th may
Abyss - Exhibition in collaboration with Rune Bosse at D7 projectspace, Copenhagen, Denmark
2017
17th june - 6th august
[UDEN TITEL 17]. Group-exhibition at Kunsthal Nord, Aalborg, Denmark
2016
10th December 2016 - 19th February 2017
Liquid Mountain. Group exhibition at Museum Het Valkhof, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
23th July - 6th November
I Went to the Woods: The artist as wanderer. Group exhibition at Glucksman Gallery, Cork, ireland.
29th January - 28th February
There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method. Exhibition with Anne Munnecke at House for Art and design, Holstebro, Denmark
2015
19th December:
Experience Ooga Booga. CURRENT OBSESSION, One day performance and exhibition event at Studio 47, Amsterdam, Holland.
17th October – 15th November:
Wilderness Survival. Exhibition and performance at Onomatopee, Eindhoven, Holland.
24th September- 4th October:
Wilderness Survival. Solo exhibition at X and beyond. Copenhagen, Denmark.
24th September – 23th October:
BEERS 5 - 100 women at the pub. Group exhibition at Byens Kro, Copenhagen, Denmark.
30th July - 2nd August:
Blank Billboard - installation for Sejerø Festival, Sejerø, Denmark
12th-28th June
GHOST DANCERS solo exhibition at OK CORRAL, Copenhagen, Denmark
5th-7th March
OPEN STUDIOS at Jan Van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, Netherlands
2014
3rd oct – 30th Nov:
Zimmer-Frei - Group exhibition at Koldinghus Museum, Kolding, Denmark
1st - 3rd August:
The first thing that dissapeared...- sound-Installation at Sejerø Festival, festival for art, architecture and music, Sejerø, Denmark
20th March:
OPEN STUDIO, one-day exhibition in Residency apartment in Istanbul, Turkey
13th March - 23th March.
Open space , international group Exhibition MixerArts Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2013
4th Okt. - 15th Nov.
The Wave- Interactive installation made in collaboration with artist Magnus Fuhr and students from Art&Design Talentacademy, exhibited at Holstebro Art-Museum, Holstebro, Denmark
6th September- 6th October:
The West in the South Harbour -Group exhibition at the exhibition place "Sydhavn Station", Copenhagen, Denmark
12th April - 20th May
Monster -small installation in the “Demo-room” at Gallery Image in Aarhus, Denmark
2012
15th December
Cabin 2 -in the woods (permanent sculpture)
Art-spacee Skovsnogen, Kibæk, Denmark
24th November - 20th January
Extract - Group-exhibition at Gl. Strand Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark.
15th September - 28th October
Local Heroes -Group-exhibition at Vestjyllands Kunstpavillon
25th May - 29th July
Cabin- The Funen Art Academy MFA thesis show 2012, Brandts Kunsthall, Odense, Denmark
Curators; Stine Hebert and Nanna Grunnet
2011
11th - 13th November
Dreamlover -Exhibition with the art-group Carstensgade4, the garage at Prags Boulevard 43, 2300
Copenhagen S. Denmark
13th October - 2nd November
Machine RAUM -Biennale for video-art and digital culture at Vejle art museum, Denmark
2nd September
One-day exhibition with the art-group Carstensgade 4, Vesterfælledvej 7a, Baghold, Copenhagen,
Denmark
17th - 22nd April
Ah, Wilderness! - Solo exhibition at Waller-Yoblonsky Gallery in Bozeman, Montana, USA
7th - 24th February
Vox Populi -Juried exhibition at Hellen Copeland Gallery, at Montana State University, Bozeman,
Montana, USA
2010
1st - 31st December
Selected works at NOVA café together with Kate Lindsay, Bozeman, Montana, USA
12th - 26th May
MAKE ENDS MEET -3rd year exhibition at DFK (BFA thesis show), Odense, Denmark
29th January - 7th February
Before Entering -Exhibition at Prags Boulevard 66, 4.th., Copenhagen, Denmark
Publications
Wilderness Survival: A Guide to the Aesthetics of Survivalism (2015), Onomatopee Publishing
workshops/lectures/boards
2020: Production, recording and publisher of the public podcast series ”Kunsten på kanten” in collaboration with art-website Idoart.
2020 - 2021: Member of the proffesional "Peer" group at Malt Air -international artist in residency program in Ebeltoft, Denmark.
2020: The curator has left the building: offentligt symposium om kuratorisk viden ved Kunsthal Århus.
2019: Lecture for students from University of Copenhagen -Culture and communication -curatorial activities. Cph. DK
2019: "Walk n’ Talk” Conversation with cultural critiq Torben Sangild on the exhibition 'HERMIT' Overgaden. Kbh, DK.
2016: Partticipation in "The future panel", debate on the cultural future of Holstebro city, Holstebro Art museum, DK
2015: ‘The artist as a wanderer’ – offentligt foredrag på Glucksman Gallery, Cork, Ireland
2015: November-december
Guest teacher at The school of Art and Design (Holstebro Talent-academy), Holstebro, Denmark.
2013: 16th January
Lecture at Herning Art school, Evening classes for young and adults who are interested in an
artistic career. Herning, Denmark.
2012: 10th Feb
“Ah, Wilderness!” Guest lecture at Århus art-school concerning own art-practice. Aarhus, Denmark
2012 Febuary: “Fun with Animals” guest teacher and workshop about animals in art at Århus art-school
(Byhøjskolen) in Århus, Denmark
2010: 17th june
“Can you live from it” Talk and open discussion about the creative business and the daily life of
being an artist together with artist Svend-Allan Sørensen at Brandts Kunsthalle in Odense,
Denmark.
2009: 1st - 15thAug
”Instant Herlev”. Assistant for international artists, mainly Jenna Didier and Oliver Hess (LA.,
USA), Herlev, Denmark
22th June – 3rd July
”Park Project”. Assistant for Birgitte Kjøller. Collaboration-project between the city and culture
department of Odense municipality and Brandts Kunsthalle in the public Park ”Kongens Have” in
Odense.
29th Jan – 13th Feb.
”Somebody has been dreaming of my house”. Assistant for Marie Rosendahl Chemnitz and Tue
Biering on ”Sense-exhibition” on Brandts Kunsthal.
2008:
21th - 29th Nov.
”ACT OUT”: Performative Video by Nordic Women Artist”. Workshop and exhibition at University of
Évora in Portugal
Job-experience
2016-2020: Curator at The House of Art and Design, Holstebro, Denmark
2013: Museum-assistent at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Denmark
2008-2012: Docent/guide/Attendant and curator assistent at BRANDTS (Kunsthalle in Odense, Denmark)
Email: Havannabak@gmail.com