Magnus Gjoen - Delft Blue Launcher.

Born in London to Norwegian parents, Magnus Gjoen grew up in Switzerland, Denmark, Italy as well as

in the UK. As a contemporary artist Gjoen has exhibited worldwide and questions the notions ofbeauty

by juxtaposing a range of styles and media, incorporating a street and pop aesthetic with a fine art

approach. His pieces draw on history and allusion, using existing artworks or fragments from the past

to create his own, contemporary aesthetic. Describing himself as an ‘accidental’ artist, Gjoen studied

fine art and fashion design which led to a successful career in fashion, working for brands such as

Vivienne Westwood. A move back into the art world came from decorating the walls of his London flat

and realising he could do so with his own artworks. Thought-provoking and often-emotional, Gjoen’s art

offers a modern spin on old masterpieces or manipulates powerful and strong objects into something

fragile yet beautiful. By blending two genres from completely different worlds, his art is

about rediscovery, taking things from the past and renewing them for the contemporary

market. Breathing fresh air into dusty old paintings found in the far corners of a museum or lending a

sense of beauty and grace to typically powerful, even dangerous objects, Magnus Gjoen’s work invites

a second look. It’s this ability to engage with the viewer and get them questioning, challenging and

thinking that makes him a promising and successful young artist in the contemporary art world.