Sverre Malling (b. 1977) has given the drawing medium new relevance in Norwegian contemporary art and is regarded as one of the country's most prominent visual artists. He creates work notable for its precision and intricacy, entwining together references to classical art, botany, the occult, psychedelia, folk art and children’s illustrations. Malling participated in the Norwegian Autumn Exhibition already as a 17-year-old and completed his studies at the Norwegian Academy of Fine Arts in 2004.
Solo exhibitions include (Upcoming) Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, West Palm Beach, USA (2024); Lazarus & mitt lille lam, Galleri Haaken, Norway (2022); Adieu To Old England, The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, London, England (2022); Retrospective Solo Exhibition, Haugar Vestfold Art Museum, Norway (2021); Adieu To Old England, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, England (2021); The blossoms we wear in our hats, Galleri Haaken, Norway (2017); Satellites and Pomegranates, Galleri Haaken, Norway (2014); Tegninger fra 22.julisaken, The Norwegian Philosophy, Kragerø, Norway (2013); Sverre Malling - Louis Moe, Grenland Kunsthall, Norway (2013); The season have no fear, Galleri Thomassen, Gothenburg, Sweden (2011); Sleeping in a hollow log, Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway (2010); The pipers call, Gallery Haaken, Oslo, Norway (2009); Spirit Caravan, Lillehammer Art Museum, Lillehammer, Norway (2009); Galleri Haaken, Oslo, Norway (2007).
Group exhibitions include Medea, Greek Theater of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy (2023); Enter Art Fair, Kristin Hjellegerde Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark (2023); The Black Shuck Festival, The Belle Gallery, Bungay, UK (2023); Viriditas – The Mystical in Art, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway (2023); Drawing Triennial, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway (2023); Grafikk, Atelier Larsen 50 år, Galleri Thomassen, Göteborg, Sweden (2022); Hvitsten Salong (2022) Atelier Larsen 50 år, Kunstverket, Oslo (2022); Vi star på sammenraste hull, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Norway (2022); Slutten, art project curated by Thiis-Evensen and Sjøvold, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Norway (2021); Enter Art Fair, Copenhagen, Denmark (2021); Dance with the dead, Edvard Munchs Atelier Ekely, Norway (2021); Nordic Noir, Gallen Kallela Museum, Helsinki, Finland (2020); London Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (2020); Lit Naits, Mexico (Oh, Brother), QB Gallery, Norway (2019); Kunstverket 30 years, Kunstverket Gallery, Oslo, Norway (2019); Marginalization, Arts Council Norway’s conference, Byscenen, Trondheim, Norway (2019); The Collection, Bomuldsfabrikken, Arendal, Norway (2019); Get The Picture, Sørlandets Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway (2019) YME Art Poster Show, Oslo, Norway (2018); Hvidsten Salong, Norway (2018); Chopper Fest, Halden, Norway (arranged by Bomuldsfabrikken) (2018); Undergrunnsutstillingen, Angels Place, Oslo, Norway (2018); London Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (2018); Contemporary Chaos, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratium, Norway (2018); Å være nær, Dropsfabrikken, Trondheim, Norway (2018); Picture Believer - A Collector’s Items, Blomqvist, Oslo, Norway (2018); Printing in the Infernal Method, Kunstverket Gallery, Oslo, Norway (2018); Billedlig talt, Nasjonalbiblioteket, Oslo, Norway (2017); Volta Show, Basel, Switzerland (2017); Everything exists now, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, England (2017); Exitus, Punkt Ø, Galleri F15, Moss, Norway (2017); Sneakyville, Haugar Vestfold Art Museum (2016); Treasures, Nord Norsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø, Norway (2016); Can the World be as sad as it seems?, QB Gallery, Oslo (2015); Tegneutstillingen, Nils Aas Kunstverksted, Norway (2015); If you have to ask, you’ll never know, Galleri Haaken Oslo, Norway (2015); SOLIDARNORSK, Paris, France (2014); View on intimacy, Fredrikstad Kunsthall, Norway (2014); Death, Galerie Körnerpark, Berlin, Germany (2014); Leçons de ténèbres, Robotprint, Bergen, Norway (2014); Sverre Malling and Louis Moe, The Art Association Gl Strand, Copenhagen, Denmark (2013); Merry Melancholy, Eskilstuna Artmuseum, Eskilstuna, Sweden (2013); The Annual National Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway (2012); Higher Ground, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø, Norway (2012); Apocalytic Bliss, Galleri Maria Veie, Oslo, Norway (2012); Drawings, Gallery Rod Bianco, Oslo, Norway (2011); Action-reAction, Gallery NO, New York, USA (2011); If I could dream, Stranda Kunstlag, Sunnmøre, Norway (2011); Summer moved on, Gallery Kurant, Tromsø, Norway (2011); Wonderland, Bomuldsfabrikk Art Hall, Arendal, Norway (2011); 2000 LILLESTRØM, Akershus Kunstnersenter, Lillestrøm, Norway (2010); Salong 2010, Gallery Rod Bianco, Oslo, Norway (2010); Kunstbasseng, Gallery Tipi, Oslo, Norway (2010); Tecknare i undervegetationen, Drawing Museum in Laholm, Sweden (2010); Norwegian Surrealism, Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway (2010); Herre i eget hus, Gallery BOA, Oslo, Norway (2009); The Annual National Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway (2009); Dark Matter, Peder Balke Centre, Kapp, Norway (2009); Sketches of Heaven and Hell, Galleri Trafo, Asker, Norway (2009); Figurationer, Eidsvik Art Hall, Stockholm, Sweden (2009); Arvesyn, Seljord Kunstforening, Telemark, Norway (2009); Nyervevelser og deposita, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø, Norway (2009); Tegning, Drøbak Art Association, Norway (2009); Drawing Today, Bærum Art Association, Norway (2009); The State Academy of Fine Arts Spring Auction, Oslo, Norway (2009); Darkness Descends, Gallery MASH, New York, USA (2009); Sort Romantikk, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø, Norway (2009); Optimism, Rakkerstad Art Association, Norway (2008); Hardcore, Sørlandet Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway (2008); The Drawing Biennial, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway (2008); Lights On, Artist Book, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway (2008); Nationalmuseum, Improvised gallery-space, Berlin, Germany (2008); Hotrod artist rock cover, Studio Technika , Oslo, Norway (2008); Rykk tilbake til start, Project 0047, Oslo, Norway (2008); The New Dark Age, Sarpsborg Art Association, Norway (2008); Real, Haugar Art Museum, Tønsberg, Norway (2008); Strek i bevegelse, Lillehammer Art Museum, Lillehammer, Norway (2008); The Cultural Rucksack, various cities, Hedmark, Norway (2007); New Figuration, Oslo Fine Art Society, Oslo, Norway (2007); Slyngler, Gallery Bastard, Oslo, Norway (2007); In The Mouth Of Infinity, Gallery Bastard, Oslo, Norway (2007); Vestland Exhibition 2007, Norway (2007); Scandinavian Spastic, Nidar Chocolate Hall, Oslo, Norway (2006); Tradisjon og fornyelse, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø, Norway (2006); Vårutstilling, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway (2006); New and old, Galleri Haaken, Oslo, Norway (2005); Hotrod pinup happening, Parkteatret, Oslo, Norway (2005); Rælingen Fine Art Society, Norway (2005); The State Academy of Fine Arts Graduate Show, Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway (2004); The Annual National Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway (2004); Vårutstilling, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway (2004); Spor av strek, traveling exhibition arranged by "Se Kunst i Nord-Norge" (SKINN), various cities, Norway (2004); The Annual Østlands exhibition, various cities, Norway (2004); Ideologia II, Nordic Art Biennial, Röda Sten, Gothenburg, Sweden (2003); Inner City Art-Attack, Bjørvika, Oslo, Norway (2003); Nyervervelser - Grafikk og tegning, The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway (2003); Experimental drawing - Norwegian / Icelandic drawing, Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland (2003); among more.
Highlights and Collections
In 2014, Sverre Malling was awarded a 10-year "Scholarship for established artists" by the Norwegian Visual Artists Association. Prior to that, Malling received multiple other prestigious awards including the Aksel Waldemar Memorial Prize in 2010 and the Autumn Exhibition Prize in 2009. In the same year he also was awarded the first Jakob Weidemann Scholarship. Malling’s work is forms part of important public and private collections which include, The British Museum, Bunker Artspace Museum, Palm Beach, USA; The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway; The National Library of Norway Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, Norway; Haugar Art Museum, Tønsberg, Norway; Equinor Art Programme, Norway; Nordnorsk Art Museum, Tromsø, Norway; Sørlandet Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway; Lillehammer University College, Lillehammer, Norway; Johan Strays Stiftelse, Oslo, Norway; Drammens Museum, Norway; Dyno Industri, Akershus, Norway; Skedsmo kommune, Lillestrøm City Hall, Norway; Kistefos Museum, Jevnaker, Norway.