About

Alban Karsten creates performances and sculptures out of a strong curiosity about the other, and in particular: how they work and what they believe in. This evolved from the religious anthropology minor he took, alongside his studies at art school.

He regularly invites the other into a collaboration. This can be professionals from different fields (such as a blacksmith, a psychic or a hypnotherapist), or unprofessionals, like the project choirs he often works with. In these collaborations, he tries to integrate their voices, methods and expertise into his work, giving them a major role in the outcome of the work.

In recent years, he has been exploring topics such as the history of fencing, carrying and support structures, horse jumping, and nearly extinct crafts. He lives and works in Amsterdam at Werkgebouw Het Veem, and was one of the founders of artist-run space De Gym.

Alban is represented by Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL.

 

Education

MA in Art and Design, Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam, NL (2015-2017)
Religious Anthropology (minor), University of Groningen, NL (2008-2009)
BA in Fine Arts, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL (2006-2010)

 

Contact

info@albankarsten.com

Exhibitions

2024
Triënnale van Beetsterzwaag, Kunsthuis SYB, Beetsterzwaag, NL
Important Questions, Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, KR
B.A.R.N.Y., DtRH, Beuningen, NL
Alchemy unveiled, Willem Twee, Den Bosch, NL
(P)REVIEW, Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL
Everything is on the One, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, NL
An ounce of information is worth a pound of data, ACR XL Beurstraverse, Rotterdam, NL
Art Rotterdam, with Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL

2023
The Last Expert, performance at UNFAIR, Amsterdam, NL
The Visitor, Kunsthuis SYB, Beetsterzwaag, NL
How long has that been a problem?, tandem-solo at Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL
Nostalgia Shop, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
Of Off Off, After After during Art Brussels, Brussel, BE
Femina Ludens (during Kitty Maria‘s solo), Museum van Bommel van Dam, Venlo, NL
Nightshop
, KATE, Amsterdam, NL
Art Rotterdam, with Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL
Cash 23, Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam, NL

2022
Beeld<en>Storm, Oosterkerk, Amsterdam, NL
Beauty and Enclosures, Kunstfort bij Vijfhuizen, NL
The Last Expert, DtRH, Beuningen, NL
Next Viewing in Three Days, W139, Amsterdam, NL
Videoranjersey, Jersey Arts Centre, St. Helier, Jersey

2021
On Beauty and Deconstruction, Halo Kultura, Gdynia, PL
A Large Room with a Little Headrest, Am Ende des Tages, Düsseldorf, DE
Duo presentation, This Art Fair, Amsterdam, NL
Life on planet Orsimanirana, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, DE
Having Parts Missing, No New Enemies, Brussels, BE

2020
Infiltrating Public Space, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
True Essentials, No Man’s Art Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
Still Making Art vol. 3, ORAC, Amsterdam, NL

2019
UP-DATE, Sign, Groningen, NL
The Creeper, Art Bar Kippy, Amsterdam, NL
Sleeping Horses, Combo, Venice, IT
Soft Landings Editions, TAC, Eindhoven, NL
Soft Landings Editions, Sexyland, Amsterdam, NL
Anomia 2, At7, Amsterdam, NL

2018
Jumping the Shark, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
Shifting Class, Gsus showroom, Amsterdam, NL
Bufferzone, De Apotheek, Amsterdam, NL
Soft Landings Showroom, Neverneverland, Amsterdam, NL
Santé 4, WORM, Rotterdam, NL

2017
The Guide, Huis Marseille, Amsterdam, NL
Fake Money Love, Circa…dit, Arnhem, NL
The Bad Drawing, Sign, Groningen, NL
The Bubble in Epistemic Terms, Krux, Amsterdam, NL
X-C dinner performance, WOW, Amsterdam, NL
Free Muscle Memory, International Design Biennial, St. Etienne, FR

2016
The Soft Landings, De Appel, Amsterdam, NL
Maintenance, Butcher’s Tears, Amsterdam, NL
Coffee, Cigarettes and Air Conditioners, WOW, Amsterdam, NL
Daily Solo Show, M^C^O, Milano, IT
Assembly Hall, WOW, Amsterdam, NL

2015
Panspermia, Vianney Parochie, Amsterdam, NL
Hausse IV, Extrapool+Brebl, Nijmegen, NL

2014
I am not doing anything until I feel the need, OBA, Amsterdam, NL
I am not doing anything until I feel the need, DNB, Amsterdam, NL
Mini Drawings, De Gym, Groningen, NL
The Propeller Field, Kunstvlaai 2014 + Sign, Amsterdam, NL
Egg Restaurant, De Gym, Groningen, NL

2013
All is Giving, Public Art Space, Groningen, NL
Trendy Asian Night Restaurant, De Gym, Groningen, NL
Heilige Huisjes, Sign, Leeuwarden, NL
Skewed garden, De Duitse Ambassade, Groningen, NL
foundfootage.be: Rheum, Galerie Cecilia Jaime, Gent, BE

2012
24hr LAN-Party People by Group XIII, Kunstvlaai 2012 + Sign, Amsterdam, NL
MMM, P.A.S., Groningen, NL
Untitled #14, Untitled, Groningen, NL

2011
Where the Water Tastes Like Moonshine, De Fabriek, Eindhoven, NL

 

Publications / press

2024
It hûs is net ien (about Kunsthuis SYB’s Triënnale van Beetsterzwaag), article by e-flux
15th Gwangju Biennale Pavilion catalog (KOR/ENG)
Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, article by e-flux

2023
Publication Five years of Nostalgia, Het Resort, Groningen, NL

2022
De laatste Expert, essay by Alban Karsten (Dutch)
W139 hosts (…), article by Parool

2021
Life on Planet Orsimanirana, publication by Jerszy Seymour, Lukas Feireiss and Tulga Beyerle, published by Spector Books
Druk om te pres(en)teren, article by Mister Motley
Nieuwe ontmoetingen op This Art Fair, article by Jegens & Tevens
This Art Fair 2021, article by Lost Painters

2020
En de openbare ruimte dan?, article by Het Resort
het resort – nomadisch Gronings kunstinitiatief (…), article by Jegens & Tevens
Still Making Art vol. 3, covered by Tzvetnik, AQNB, O Fluxo, KubaParis
Hoe meer stenen, hoe hoger de top, article by Mister Motley

2019
La Giovane arte internazionale (…), article by La Nuova
‘Een boost voor de beroepspraktijk (…)’, article by Mondriaan Fonds
Jumping the Shark, publication by Vanessa van ‘t Hoogt and Anna Rosja Haveman

2018
S01E03, video report by Het Resort

2017
The Applause Machine, book by Alban Karsten

2016
Daily Solo Show at the Wandering school, articles in Repubblica and Dezeen and Wallpaper

2014
I am not doing anything until I feel the need, artist calendar by Joanneke Meester
Kunstvlaai 2014, article by Trendbeheer

2013
All is Giving, book by Ad de Jong en Esther de Graaf
2009, The Year I Spent Fighting Chemtrails, book by Alban Karsten
Rheum, book by foundfootage.be

2012
Kunstvlaai 2012, een eerste ronde, articles by Trendbeheer (pt. I) and Trendbeheer (pt. II)
Kunstvlaai 2012 is brimming with joyous creativity, article Overdose.am

 

Grants / commissions / awards / residencies

2023
The Fences of Beetsterzwaag, residency at Kunsthuis SYB, Beetsterzwaag, NL
Residency at Hangarheim, Munchhouse, FR

2022
Commission to design an honorary distinction, made for the ECF
Grant Werktuig PPO
Support grant Pictoright

2021
Grant AFK (Development grant) for Inclosure Acts
Residency at Halo Kultura, Gdynia, PL
Grant Mondriaan Fonds (Artist Project) for They Foul in the Green Opposite

2019
Grant Sandberg Instituut for (international) presentations, for Soft Landings Editions at TAC, Eindhoven
Residency at Combo, Sleeping Horses, Venice, IT

2018
Residency at Het Resort, S01E03, Groningen
Grant Mondriaan Fonds (experimenteergeld kunstenaarshonoraria) for Jumping the Shark at Het Resort, Groningen, NL
Grant AFK for Soft Landings Showroom at Neverneverland, Amsterdam, NL

2017
Shortlisted ‘Best Experimentation’ Milano Design Prize for The Wandering School, Milano, IT

2016
Residency at M^C^O, The Wandering School, Milano, IT
Artist in Residence at WOW, Amsterdam, NL

2015
Grant WOW (construction trailer), with Assembly Hall, Amsterdam, NL

2011
Residency at De Fabriek Eindhoven, WtWTLM, Eindhoven

 

Other activities

2024
Curator and producer B.A.R.N.Y., Down the Rabbit Hole 2024, Beuningen, NL

2023
Curator and producer Nostalgia Shop, Het Resort, Groningen, NL

2022
Guest tutor at Bcademie, Rotterdam, NL
Co-curator Dakota by Night: the Ritual Cleansing, Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, NL
Co-creator exhibition concept Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste, Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, NL
Guest lecture On self-organisation, AKV|St.Joost, Breda, NL
Tutor temporary course Infiltration Methods, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL

2021
Guest lecture on A History of Fences and Ornamentation, invited by Job Wouters, KABK, Den Haag, NL
Window exhibition What Artist Wear, with Jackie Forro, curated by Marieke van Ekeren, Athenaeum Boekhandel, Amsterdam, NL
Guest course The Anthropology of the Gift, with Soft Landings, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL
Tutor temporary course Infiltration Methods, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL

2020
Co-curator Infiltrating Public Space, Het Resort, Groningen, NL
Organization and moderation of lecture about lobbying as a form of infiltration, by Eline Huisman, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL (online)
Tutor temporary course Infiltration Methods, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL
Moderator for Zomaar Radio artist talk Little Nostrum, Het Resort, NL

2019
Guest tutor workshop at the basic year, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, NL
Curation and exhibitions design of Sleeping Horses, Combo, Venice, IT
Curation and production of Soft Landings editions, TAC, Eindhoven and Sexyland, Amsterdam, NL
Guest tutor / mid-exam jury at D.A.D., Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, NL
Artist talk and screening at Het Resort S01E03, finissage, Groningen, NL

2018
Organizer and curator of Shifting Class, group show, Amsterdam, NL
Co-founder and curator of Soft Landings, Artist collective, Amsterdam, NL

2017
Seminar on AutomagiA – self-organization and artist-run spaces, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, NL

2016
Curator and show host of The Soft Landings charity gala at de Appel, Amsterdam, NL
Store Interior + Objects for The Lair of Kånken, Fjällräven, Paris, FR
Curator and show host of the Daily Solo Show, M^C^O, Milano, IT
Interior + Objects Blue Hotel for Hotel Milano, M^C^O, Milano, IT

2015
Founder / curator of artist-run space de Gym (from 2013-2015), Groningen, NL

2014
Egg Restaurant production in de Gym, Groningen, NL

2013
Residency program Take on, Take over in cooperation with Sign, de Gym, Groningen, NL
Guest tutor of Project Week, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL