JENS ROSING, 1970
Hans Lynge (1906‑88) and Jens Rosing (1925‑2008) stood out from previous Greenlandic artists in that they did not depend on having good connections, they were able to obtain materials themselves and were able to create the art they wanted. They both graduated from the academy, and art was their only profession.
Inspired by his father, Niels Lynge, Hans Lynge too was interested in nature romanticism. His works are characterised by distinct brush strokes, large colour surfaces and abstraction. The motif is often nature, people, legends and myths, but unlike previous works, these works are more reflections and memories than actual tales. Lynge liked finding inspiration outside Greenland, and Greenlandic artists still find themselves in this tension field between the local and the international spheres.
Lynge and Rosing’s professionalisation allowed them to do decorating assignments, book illustrations and exhibitions. It marked the beginning of a national awareness of Greenlandic art, which, among other things, fostered the idea of professionalising it further. Focus was turned to the value of having an own environment versus being trained in the European way of thinking and expression taught at international academies.
Further reading
- Four tales illustrated by Aron of Kangeq
- Greenland painters
- Museums of cultural history and heritage
- Traditions and tales
- Visual arts and crafts
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