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, London, UK (2024); Lazarus & mitt lille lam, Galleri Haaken, Oslo (2022), Adieu To Old England, Victor Wynd Museum of Curosities, London, England (2022); Retrospective Solo Exhibition at Haugar Vestfold Art Museum, Norway (2021) ; Adieu to Old England, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, England (2021); Victor Wynd Museum of Curosities, London, England (2020); The blossoms we wear in our hats, Gallery Haaken, Norway (2017); Satellites and Pomegranates, Gallery Haaken, Norway (2014);Tegninger fra 22.julisaken, The Norwegian Philosphy, 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); and Gallery Haaken, Oslo, Norway (2007).
Group exhibitions include Enter Art Fair, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark (2023); (Upcoming) The Black Shuck Festival, The Belle Gallery, Bunagy, UK (2023) Where the Wild Roses Grow, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Schloss Görne, Germany (2023); Slutten, art project curated by Thiis-Evensen and Sjøvold, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Norway (2021), Enter Art Fair, with Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark (2021); Nordic Noir, Gallen Kallela Museum, Helsinki, Finland (2020); London Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK* (2020); 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); 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); 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 (2016); Can the World be as sad as it seems?, QB Gallery, Oslo (2015); and If you have to ask, you’ll never know, Galleri Haaken Oslo (2015). Malling’s work forms part of numerous public collections, including Kistefos Museum, (Jevnaker, Norway); The Bunker Museum, (Palm Beach, USA); Astrup Fearnley Museum (Norway); The National Library of Norway (Norway); Equinor Art Programme (Norway); Bomuldsfabrikken Collection (Arendal, Norway); Haugar Vestfold Art Museum (Norway); Statoil Art Collection, Nordnorsk Art Museum (Tromsø, Norway); Sørlandet Art Museum (Kristiansand, Norway); Lillehammer University College (Lillehammer, Norway); Johan Strays Stiftelse (Oslo, Norway); Drammen Museum (Norway); Dyno Industri (kershus, Norway); The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Oslo, Norway); and Skedsmo Kommune, Lillestrøm City Hall (Norway).
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.