About Simone Aaberg Kærn

Simone Aaberg Kærn
Born 1969 in Copenhagen
Lives and works in Copenhagen

Education
1995-1997 Goldsmith’s College of Fine Arts. London, England.
1993-1999 MFA The Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Copenhagen, Denmark.

For Kærn, a trained pilot, flying is a metaphor for individual freedom. Her projects often take place in open airspace, traditionally an arena of war and politics, but in Kærn’s work also a space of unlimited freedom, equality and sisterhood. With topics of gender, war, politics, and identity, often presented in provocative works, Kærn challenges both politicians, the viewer - and gravity!

Flügel schenken - Eine ungewöhnliche Reise nach Kabul from Touni on Vimeo.

Her documentary series Sisters in the sky, (made for Danish National Television in 1999) is a road movie in the air: She flew across the United States and met with female pilots from World War II. Other significant projects are “a microglobal performance” where Kærn flew her 40-year-old Piper Colt from Lille Skensved, Denmark, to Kabul, Afghanistan, to meet a young Afghani woman who’s greatest dream was to become a pilot. Kærn also instructed and produced the documentary Smiling in a War Zone 2006 with Magnus Bejmar which was shown globally.

 

Installing Sisters in the Sky, Beijing sept. 2019

As a pilot, Kærn embraces the art of war. She gained notoriety for a triptych painting depicting the Danish air-war effort in Libya, a work originally commissioned by the National History Museum that after completion was rejected by the museum. The official portrait of former Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen pinpointed Denmark at War at the Danish parliament.

Simone Aaberg Kærn was named Artist of the year in Denmark In 1997 and has exhibited her aviation works at the Venice Biennale in 1999. In 20??, she received the Association of Danish Art Critics’ Honorary Award. Smiling in a Warzone won the Grand Prix at the film festival in Odense and the Full Frame Women in Leadership Award in 2006 and was nominated for an international Emmy.

Simone Aaberg Kærn at the National Gallery of Denmark with Jenny Holzer & Mona Hatoum and more! After The Silence SMK 28. August – 21. November 2021

Kærn’s works are represented at the National Gallery of Denmark, the Art Museums Louisianna in Humlebæk, the Danish War Museum and at AROS in Aarhus as well as several private Collections.

http://aaberg-kaern.dk