Asger Jorn

In 1954, the Danish artist Asger Jorn (1914-1973) moved to Albisola, a small town on the Ligurian coast of Italy famous for its ceramic tradition. There he expanded his international network, established contacts with artists such as Fontana, Matta, Lam or Farfa and, last but not least, founded the Situationist International as one of the most important post-war avant-garde movements in Europe. With ceramics, bronze and marble sculptures, he discovered new possibilities for his work and developed his painting to the expressiveness for which he is famous today. However, the significant role Jorn played in Italy and Italy for Jorn has not been adequately acknowledged until now.

On the occasion of the book project by the author Ursula Lehmann-Brockhaus (2019†) sponsored by the van de Loo Foundation, “Asger Jorn. The Years in Italy 1954-1973”, which will be published this autumn, the Foundation is showing a selection of Jorn’s collages, paintings, bronzes, ceramics and documents that reveal references to Italy and offer an incentive to explore the subject further.

Asger Jorn
La Ragazza, 1956
Collage
53 × 39 cm
© 2021 VG Bild-Kunst Bonn / Donation Jornen