Kaari Upson (1970–2021) was one of the most prominent American artists of her generation. Despite her untimely death from cancer, she left behind a deeply personal and versatile artistic legacy spanning sculpture, drawing, performance, film, and painting. Her works delve into complex themes such as identity, the body, relationships, loss, and illness, often with a strong emotional core.
Upson succeeded in bridging the personal and the universal, making her work relevant to multiple generations. Inspired by icons like Louise Bourgeois and Mike Kelley, she combined abstraction with figuration in works that merge the painterly and the sculptural. In projects like Larry Project and Mother’s Legs, she explored the many layers of American society and what it means to be human in a world marked by trauma and transformation.
The Exhibition "Doll House – A Retrospective" at the Louisiana Museum
The Louisiana Museum presents the first retrospective museum exhibition of Kaari Upson's works since her passing. Produced in collaboration with Kunsthalle Mannheim and Masi Lugano, the exhibition showcases the strength and breadth of her practice. Under the title Doll House – A Retrospective, the exhibition invites the audience into Upson's unique universe, where body parts, objects, and fantasy figures merge in works that are both captivating and unsettling.
A highlight is the installation of Mother’s Legs, symbolizing the comfort of childhood while confronting the viewer with the emotional weight of loss and memory. The Foot Face series is being shown for the first time, offering an intimate glimpse into the love between mother and daughter, while the fragility of life becomes strikingly evident. The exhibition is not only a tribute to Upson as an artist but also a reflection on the existential questions her works pose.
Practical Information:
- The exhibition runs from May 27, 2025, to October 26, 2025.
- Find opening hours on the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art's website.
- Free parking with electric car charging facilities available.
- The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a 10–15-minute walk from Humlebæk Station.
- Learn more about the exhibition on the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art's website.