Art Herning 2026

Finding inspiration in his close surroundings and relationships, Tal R distils these experiences through his distinct artistic vocabulary in a rich combination of woodcut and etching, creating an alternation between painted brushstrokes of sugar lift aquatint and brightly coloured areas of woodgrain. In relaxed poses and everyday situations, Tal R portrays members of his close family in the domestic sphere.

The predominant motif of the series Birkin Rosso is inspired by the actress Jane Birkin (1946-2023) and her role in the 1976 film Je t’aime moi non plus. Birkin’s character, the androgynous waitress Johnny, has featured in several of Saunders’ previous works and continues to be a source of inspiration for him.

The 13 interconnected prints inform and enrich each other. Individually, the prints are enigmatic, self-contained mysteries. By repeating and yet varying the same subject, Saunders emphasises how still and moving images are linked; their seriality enhances the cinematic impression when viewed one after the other. In a particular scene from the film, Birkin’s character is lying in a bathtub. Saunders explores the experience of heightened sensation in the shifting space between submerging under water and emerging again, as he depicts the figure in this liminal moment.

When Saunders began the series, he was eager to experiment and test the boundaries of the traditional techniques. The series evolved through variations of the same elements, resembling the work of sculptor Medardo Rosso (1858-1928), who is another key source of inspiration in Saunders’ work. Rosso’s sculptures are characterised by the same ambiguity of matter and space that can be found in Saunders’ prints. The series combines photogravure with woodcut, two techniques rarely seen together. In each print, the figure materialises and erodes at the same time, giving a sense of being underwater or in a state of flux.

Alexander Tovborg has collaborated with BORCH Editions for over eight years to create three major series of etchings, each accompanying one of the three books of The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.

This late-medieval poem, The Divine Comedy, is an early and enduring influence on Tovborg’s practice. Exiled from Florence, Dante critiqued the Catholic Church through the graphic depictions of torment in the Comedy, which were used by the clergy to control its followers. This critique of power and the absurdity and ingenuity of Dante’s work has inspired Tovborg, whose practice reflects a similar ambiguity — feeling connected to the message of religion and the church, while also standing outside, observing.
Tovborg’s distinctive, immersive artistic practice encompasses painting, prints, sculpture, installation, and performance. His figurative imagery, ornamental shapes, and rich colour combinations explore fundamental human questions rooted in religious narratives, mythology, and symbols. Through his work, he considers how our grand narratives are formed and how they might change and evolve.

PARADISE

Tovborg’s Paradise series of 33 prints is the third and final part of his epic project dedicated to Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Paradiso describes Dante’s travels through space, guided by his great love, Beatrice. The etchings depict figures emerging into the light from the darkness of outer space. Printed on velvety black paper, each of these delicate etchings is inspired by the individual cantos (verses) of the book. The motifs radiate from the black paper in delicate and luminous colours, reflecting Dante’s journey circling the moon, the sun and the planets, detached from life on earth. With the same ease as Dante ascending into astronomical space, Tovborg depicts the souls he meets on his path towards God.

PURGATORY

In the book Den Guddommelige Komedie (in Danish), Dante’s influential work is retold by author Ditlev Tamm based on Alexander Tovborg’s three series of etchings, which together include 92 individual prints.

A series of intimate etchings, based on Purgatory, the second part of The Divine Comedy, are sold together with the book. With their dreamy, fluid and colourful shapes, the small etchings instil hope. Purgatory is an intermediate place between Hell and Paradise, where lesser sinners are given the opportunity to be purified. The fluid sense of watercolour from spit bite aquatint dominates this series of prints, while some fine details are elaborated with line etching.