Kristian Juul Interview
Kristian Juul is a Danish abstract artist based in Copenhagen whose work explores intuition, identity, color, texture, and emotional expression. In this interview, he discusses his layered creative process, the freedom of abstract art, and why artists should trust their own visual language rather than follow trends.
Q. Could you introduce yourself and tell us how your journey into abstract painting began?
I’m Kristian Juul, an abstract painter based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Looking back, I don’t think I ever decided to become an artist. Drawing and painting have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a very young child I filled page after page with cartoon figures, circles and spontaneous marks. Today those early instincts are still there they’ve simply evolved into abstract painting!
Q. Growing up in Copenhagen, how has the city's culture, light, or atmosphere influenced your artistic vision?
Copenhagen has probably influenced me more than I realize. The city has changed so much since the flower power version of it in the 70’es, where I grew on in a hippie collective.
There’s a quietness here, especially in the Nordic light. Even on grey days there’s a subtle richness to the colors. At the same time, the city has an urban edge graffiti, weathered walls, layers of history which naturally finds its way into my paintings.
I think my work sits somewhere between those two worlds: the calm Scandinavian atmosphere and the raw energy of the city.
Q. Your work is often described as "layered expressionist." What do these layers represent for you emotion, memory, or something else?
For me, the layers aren’t symbols with fixed meanings.
They’re traces of my entire life journey and also of all my daily decisions, doubts, discoveries and sometimes mistakes (actually I make them all the time!). Every scraped-off section, every hidden color, every visible brushstroke becomes part of the painting’s history.
From a philosophical point if don’t believe life is perfect and it definitely isn’t built in one perfect layer, and neither is a painting!! I like when earlier decisions remain visible because they make the work feel honest.
Q. Abstract art often leaves room for interpretation. Do you create with a specific story in mind, or do you prefer viewers to find their own meaning?
Rarely.
I always begin without a plan. The few times I had a plan; it ended up in a total disaster!! For me it’s much better when the painting gradually tells me what it needs rather than the other way around.
Of course, my own experiences influence every mark I make, but I don’t want to dictate a narrative. Once a painting leaves my studio it belongs as much to the viewer as it does to me.
The best compliment isn’t that someone understands what I meant it’s that they’ve discovered something meaningful for themselves. I’m often pleasantly surprised over what people see in my works, that I had never envisioned myself.
Q. What emotions or conversations do you hope your paintings spark in someone seeing them for the first time?
Curiosity before certainty.
I’d love people to pause for a little longer than they normally would and simply look.
If the painting makes someone feel joy, unease, nostalgia, excitement or even confusion, that’s perfectly fine!! I don’t think art has to provide answers. Sometimes asking better questions is enough.
Q. Many people say they "don't understand" abstract art. What would you say to someone who feels that way?
I’d tell them that understanding isn’t really the point! It’s about being drawn in for mysterious reasons, attracted to it.
Nobody asks whether they understand a piece of music before deciding whether it moves them.
Abstract painting works in a similar way. You don’t need to decode it you just need to experience it. If it makes you feel something, then you’ve already understood the most important part.
Q. Can you walk us through your creative process from the first brushstroke to knowing a painting is complete?
Most paintings begin with spontaneous charcoal marks or loose color.
From there it becomes a conversation. I add something, step back, react, scrape away, repaint and repeat. Sometimes the best decision is removing what I liked most. I can circulate like this for months, years even!!
Q. What advice would you give to emerging artists who are trying to develop a unique visual language instead of following trends?
Paint more than you post.
Spend less time worrying about algorithms or trends and more time making work that genuinely surprises you.
Your visual language isn’t something you invent overnight. It’s something that slowly appears after hundreds of paintings, especially the unsuccessful ones.
Don’t be afraid to destroy or overpaint paintings. Sometimes your next breakthrough is hidden underneath yesterday’s favorite.
Q. On a lighter note, if one of your paintings could come to life for a day, what do you imagine it would do or where would it take you?
I’d like it to take me somewhere I couldn’t possibly imagine beforehand.
If I already knew where it was going, it probably wouldn’t be one of my paintings.
The best paintings and maybe the best parts of life are the ones that surprise us. I’d simply follow it and stay curious about where it wanted to lead!
Bio:
Kristian Juul is a Danish abstract artist based in Copenhagen. He has been drawing and painting since childhood, developing a visual language driven by intuition, experimentation, and a fascination with the emotional power of colour, texture, and gesture.
Although primarily autodidact, Juul’s artistic development has been shaped by two important mentors. His grandfather, John Folmer Kristiansen, first introduced him to painting and encouraged his creative curiosity from an early age. Later, artist Ole Haumann Taudrup became an influential mentor, helping refine his artistic practice while preserving its independent spirit.
In 2021, Juul was selected for the curated Copenhagen Pop Art exhibition and has since exhibited at a number of art fairs and exhibitions. His work is held in private collections across Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Working primarily in abstraction, Juul explores the tension between structure and spontaneity, often allowing intuition to guide the creative process. His paintings invite viewers to discover their own narratives, balancing expressive mark-making with moments of calm and contemplation.
Interviewed By: Vanshika Gupta
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