ABOUT

Artist Statement

I work with painting, photography, and text. Through my practice I aim to convey powerful visual narratives that spark joy, awaken curiosity, and invite wonder and reflection.

My paintings arise from energetic gestures, vivid colors, and multiple layers. Within the finished surfaces you can often glimpse traces of what lies beneath—echoes of what once was, fragments of stories that refuse to be hidden or forgotten.

My process is intuitive, playful, and spontaneous. When I start a painting, I rarely have a concrete plan. Only after applying several layers of collage, paint, colored pencils, and charcoal does a sense of what I want to express begin to emerge.

Many of my works evoke abstract landscapes—at times memories of a specific place, at other times less tangible states of mind. I often incorporate my own photographs as figurative elements within the abstraction, adding both dynamism and additional layers of narrative.

For me, each piece is an expedition into unfamiliar territory. When it is finished, it bears the marks of the surprises and insights I discovered along the way. Sometimes the process feels effortlessly playful; other times, time‑consuming challenges arise—both in art and in life.

Artist Bio

Lise Bjerkan is an Oslo-based artist working with painting, photography, and text. Using an abstract visual language, she seeks to spark joy, ignite curiosity, and invite wonder and reflection.

She often incorporates her own photographs into her paintings, employing techniques such as image transfer and cyanotype—a historic photographic process known for its deep blue tones. Text is another vital component of her imagery, appearing as clippings from newspapers, books, letters, notes, and posters. Acrylic paint is combined with charcoal, ink, pencils, and colored pencils, giving her work an energetic and playful quality. The result is vibrant, multilayered pieces rich with visual and emotional narratives.

Lise holds a two-year fine art diploma from Nydalen Art School (2022) and has also studied at the Oslo School of Fine Art Photography (2022). In addition, she earned a PhD in social anthropology (2002) and an MA in journalism (2023). As a researcher, she has explored themes such as ageing, death, salvation, and asceticism in India; human trafficking in the Balkans; living conditions among Roma communities in Eastern Europe; and child labor in West Africa. These experiences inform her artistic practice, imbuing it with a strong humanistic and socially engaged perspective.

In her daily practice, she draws inspiration from her travels and encounters with people. Her artworks serve as visual diaries—filled with abstract stories, observations, and memories.

Exhibitions

Magan Gallery, London, England

"Spring Tide - a new wave of art in Tooting"

Group Exhibition, 22. May - 7. June 2025

Curated by: Agnieszka Lokaj

Hosted by: Gosia Oldakowski-Pacak

Vestfold Art Fair, Tønsberg, Norway

Group Exhibition, 17. - 21. April 2025

Curated by: Kristine Ravndal Gabrielli