In recent years, the painterly worlds of Danish artist Laust Højgaard and his inherent protagonists have evolved from rather static, almost comic-like creatures that eked out their existence in the frame of the canvas to dynamic figures reminiscent of the futuristic paintings of Umberto Bocciono. The energetic brushstrokes, the forward-driven, simultaneous movements of the figures, which still defy with strength but have become more organic in their form, give the impression that the picture itself no longer represents a limit for them. They free themselves from their stasis and enter a battle against each other for space and visibility.
Laust Højgaard’s second solo exhibition FABLE AND FLESH at Galerie Droste delves into the tension between our physical presence and the emotional complexity that often conflicts with how we wish to be seen. While we strive to project strength and pride, embodying an image of unshakable, organic force, our inner lives are fragile, multifaceted, and sometimes elusive. This struggle not only reflects personal dissonance but also echoes historical and mythical representations of humanity caught between the ideals of power and the reality of vulnerability.
The exhibition addresses our own relationship to other people and to reality, but also the inner conflict between our physical and mental selves. Højgaard's works challenge us to confront the fragmentation between our self-perception and the image we project, and to reconsider the reciprocal relationship between external influences and internal tension.
Laust Højgaards was born in 1989. He lives and works in Svendborg, Denmark. The artist graduated from the Design Academy (Odense), The Drawing Academy and the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Visual Communication.
