Self Portrait by Bente Christensen-Ernst

 In a Few Words

Born In: Aarhus, Denmark

Lives In: Antakya, Turkey

Background: An “Easternized” Scandinavian with a long list of accolades & exhibitions

Style & Media: Stylized Realism, a signature style In which vivid colors bring the captivating stories of her oil-on-canvas subjects to life

Themes: Bente speaks in metaphors drawn from her diverse life experience, making the titles of her paintings an integral part of them. 

In a Few More Words

The universe of Bente Christensen-Ernst is categorically one of realism. But categorization fails to capture the essence of her Stylized Realism, in which glowing colors give way to a playful ambiguity and a metaphoric quality that is absent in Western realism. Bente likens her creative process to a love affair: “I fall in love with something, it could be the color, it could be the subject, or it could be the form”. To that effect, art critic Tom Jørgensen describes Bente as an “Easternized” Scavdinavian. 

Born in Denmark in 1941, Bente works interchangeably in her studios in Antakya, Istanbul, and Copenhagen. She has held over 30 solo exhibitions across Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East.  

Bente has earned several accolades over the years, including a place in The National Gallery in Frederiksborg, Denmark with a portrait of the Danish poet Henrik Nordbrandt. She is also a long-standing member of the prestigious Danish Society of Artists.

Key Exhibitions 

2017   Dar Al-Anda Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan (Solo)

2014   Gallery Artifact, New York, NY, United States (Solo)

2011   Gallery ArtHouse, Damascus, Syria (Solo)

2007   Gallery C.A.M. (Contemporary Art Marketing), Istanbul, Turkey (Solo)

2001   Salon d’Automne, Paris, France (Group)