Artist statement
My work always starts with a concept for somehow fulfilling a fantasy of ‘what if…’. A concept for creating a peephole into a world that could be real. By squeezing the eyes together and imagining another reality, I hope to give the viewer a push towards a more curious view of the world, where we aren’t so quick to recognize and categorize phenomena. I think we often miss something interesting when we don’t let the natural feeling of alienation towards something new mess with our heads. We think we know everything, and that nothing can surprise us anymore – I think we should be surprised everyday.
The majority of my work is photographic, but for me, photography is just the main medium I express myself through, but isn’t limiting myself to. It just happens to be the medium I’m best at. I find the recording source of a final picture very interesting. The different image-recording medias have build in so many different connotations that add different backgrounds to the final picture. Surveillance camera-footage has different connotations than large format photography etc.
I often work with the physical representation of a picture and the relation we can have with it. The printed picture may tell a much different story from a distance or from the side, than close-up. This movement in relation to the final picture is also a part of the final work, and the theme of perception is often both present in the series of pictures and the installation/way of showing the pictures.
I sometimes imagine my collected body of work as a physical object: A cubic, alienated thing that gives you the possibility to look into dimensions that we don’t normally connect to. Very much like the Monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I feel like I’m continuously trying to add new dimensions and pictures to this thing that will someday be complete and be the perfect synergy between what I know and what I don’t know. I’m not striving towards perfection, but the perfect code that will open the gateway to unknown ways of connecting brain cells.
Bio
Johan Rosenmunthe (1982, Copenhagen, Denmark) finished his study of photography at Fatamorgana in 2006. His recent solo exhibitions include two of the well-respected galleries in Denmark, Tom Christoffersen & Falkener Project. Rosenmunthe’s work is represented in the collection of the Danish Arts Agency, which he also recently received a grant from. He is included in several international group exhibitions and publications, and the co-founder of photographic collective Løber Nøgen. Rosenmunthe is currently living and working in Copenhagen, Denmark.
CV Johan Rosenmunthe (1982)
Download: CV Johan Rosenmunthe
2010 - Lives and works in Copenhagen
2006 - Co-founder of photographic collectives ‘SHOK’ and ‘Løber Nøgen’
2005 - Educated at Fatamorgana the Danish School of Art Photography
2004 - BA in Human Science at Roskilde University
Solo exhibitions
2009 - OFF, Gallery Falkener Project, Copenhagen
2008 - The Isle of Human, Gallery Tom Christoffersen, Copenhagen
2006 - Imagine Remembering, Islands Brygge Kulturhus, curator Bo Zachariasen, Copenhagen
Group exhibitions (selected)
2010
- Skateistan, fundraising exhibition, Copenhagen
2009
- Oneshot, Werkstette by V1 Gallery, curator Jesper Elg, Copenhagen
2008
- Art Copenhagen, Gallery Falkener Project, FORUM, Copenhagen
- P.T. - Photographic Tendencies, Gallery Henningsen Contemporary, Copenhagen
- Ung Dansk Fotografi '08, Fotografisk Center, curator Lars Schwander, Copenhagen
- Glossing Nature, Kings Garden, curator Johan Rosenmunthe, Copenhagen
- FIGUR, Gallery Lauritz Kunsthal, curator Mads Damsbo, Copenhagen
2007
- Ungkonst ‘07, Gallery Estetica, curator Richard Wendt, Malmö
- Efterårsudstillingen, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen
- CityBorderLands, State Art Gallery, Kaliningrad
- CityBorderLands, The Nordic House, Reykjavik
- CityBorderLands, Frederiks Bastion, Copenhagen
- When am I? Where am I?, Airplay Street Gallery, Copenhagen
- Seehstücke, Historishes U, curator Thomas Voltz, Pasewalk Germany
- Seehstücke, Stadthaus, curator Thomas Voltz, Mölln Germany
- Seehstücke, Luftschlosserei, curator Thomas Voltz, Passentin Germany
- Slideluck Potshow, Artgarage, curator Casey Kelbaugh, Copenhagen
- Forårsudstillingen, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen
2006
- Sedimenter, Rosetten, curator Mette Haakonsen, Copenhagen
- Fatamorganas sommerudstilling, Råhuset, Copenhagen
- Fatamorganas afgangsudstilling, Galleri Krebsen, Copenhagen
Grants
2009 - Statens Kunstfond (Danish Arts Agency)
Collections
2009 - Nykredit
2008 - Statens Kunstfond (Danish Arts Agency) – www.kunst.dk/statens-kunstfond
Publications
2009
- Le Monde Magazine
- Stern und Spielplatz
- Kopenhagen
2008
- Humble Arts Group show
- Ung Dansk Fotografi
- Berlingske
- Politiken
- Information
- Canteen Magazine
- GoSee online magazine
- Samvirke #June
- Selected Views #10
- Conscientious
- Iheartphotograph
2007
- Tidningen MOTIV #12: Avatar
Books by Johan Rosenmunthe
2008 - The Isle of Human
2007 - Imagine Remembering
Other
2009 - Talk at Kunsthøjskolen Thorstedlund
2008 - Talk at Pecha Kucha CPH