Kristian Evju (b. 1980 Kongsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian artist based in London, UK, making exquisitely detailed pencil drawings and paintings. He received his BA (Hons) Painting and Drawing from Edinburgh College of Art in 2007, followed by a Masters degree in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art in 2011. Evju is best known for making enigmatic and unpredictable graphite drawings and paintings based on project-specific historical archives. By transporting historical individuals, objects and settings into new contexts, the artist liberates them from their assigned narrative, thus provoking discussion around the limitations of representation and also the cultural associations attached to certain types of imagery.
Solo exhibitions include (Upcoming) Glyndebourne, East Sussex, UK (2027); Hinterlands, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK (2025); Whispers, Galleri Semmingsen, Oslo, Norway (2025); The Other, Venet-Haus Galerie, Ulm, Germany (2023); Interventions, ASC Brixton Beneficiary, London, UK (2022); Interventions, Hamar Kunstforening, Hamar, Norway (2020); Perfect Strangers, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland (2018); The Way I Remember You Now, Venet-Haus Galerie, Neu-Ulm, Germany (2017); Machinations, Galleri Semmingsen, Oslo, Norway (2017); Greenseland, Gulden Kunstverk, Steinberg, Germany (2016); Assemble: Dissemble, Telemark Art Museum, Notodden, Norway (2015); Lie me a River, Aalesund Kunsthall (KHÅK), Ålesund, Norway (2015); Dark River, Venet-Haus Galerie, Neu-Ulm, Germany (2014); Memoirs of the Other, Gallery 39K, Lahore, Pakistan (2013); Memoirs of the Other, Accesso Contemporary Art, Pietrasanta, Italy (2012); Limbus, Gulden Kunstverk, Steinberg, Germany (2010); Faber-Castell and the Years of Distraction, Drawing Centre, Oslo, Norway (2009); Kongsberg Kunstforening, Kongsberg, Norway (2008).
Group exhibitions include (Upcoming) Nordic Noir, British Museum, London, UK (2025); Rolling, Action... Paint, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Norway (2025); Atemkristall (Breathcrystal), Blyth Gallery, London, UK (2025); Falmouth Art Gallery, Drawing Projects Dundee, UK (2025); Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, London, UK (2024); New Acquisitions, British Museum, London, UK (2024); Drawing Biennale, Drawing Room, London, UK (2024); Sommerutstilling Galleri Semmingsen, Oslo, Norway (2024); St Leonards-on-sea, Sussex, UK (2024); Where the Wild Roses Grow, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Schloss Görne, Germany (2023); 10 year anniversary, Venet-Haus Galerie, Ulm, Germany (2023); Lost Girls, Warchild Auction, Flowers Gallery, London, UK (2023); Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Galler, Basingstoke, UK (2023); Small is Beauttiful, Flowers Gallery, London, UK (2022); Derwent Art Prize, London/Paris (2022).
Highlights and Collections
Kristian Evju's work has been displayed in the following collections: The British Museum, London, Venet-Haus Foundation, Neu-Ulm Schirm Collection, Berlin ICArt, Oslo Buskerud Fylkeskommune Collection Flesberg Kommune, Flesberg Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh Central Bank of Norway, Oslo ANSA, Oslo Rollag Kommune.