Jacob, Sebastian, Benjamin, Jacob and Dan (025)

Andersen’s Contemporary is very pleased to announce the first solo appearance of the Danish artist John Kørner at its Berlin venue. Jacob, Sebastian, Benjamin, Jacob and Dan continues on the path set forth by the artist in a series of work, War Problems, first exhibited as part of the 2008 U-TURN Quadriennial in Copenhagen under the title16 Dead Danish Problems in Afghanistan, and again recently at Victoria Miro Gallery, London. 
To the previous works in the series, the new paintings in Kørner’s exhibition Jacob, Sebastian, Benjamin, Jacob and Dan stand allied. Each bears the christened name of a Danish soldier fallen on account of the country’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan. As the conflict continues to be waged, Kørner’s new work continues to initiate debate in a collective consciousness rather than expressing the individual emotions of the artist. These works neither represent the individual soldiers nor the artist’s subjective investigation into their deaths. They are simply results of war without any extraneous information. 
John Kørner frequently refers to his paintings as 'problems'. His imagery has been used as a language to communicate universally recognizable elements, drawing from a collective experience. These 'problems' of war offer up a visual encounter as well as open up space for the continuation of debates around what contemporary paintings should or can contribute.