Theodore Svenningsen
The deep underlying influences that affect Theodore Svenningsen's art come from two lifelong areas of interest. One of these is his involvement with thinking about thinking. This leads to his fascination with the ways some people think, which is often inconsistent, peculiar, and occasionally with a complete absence of logic.
A second concern that his art is influenced by is aesthetics, which he finds strongly compelling and which can often bring him to favor some things over others. This focus on aesthetic elements has been with him since his earliest years.
These two concerns of thinking and aesthetics led to his interest in philosophy and art. He majored in philosophy at U.C.L.A., where he received a B.A. and a Master's degree in Philosophy and advanced to the doctoral program. He also received an M.F.A. in painting from Otis College of Art and Design.
The result of his interests are two series of work: the Text Series and the Structures Series. Both aesthetics and issues of philosophy are involved in the Structures Series. A number of works in the series concern forces that people are confronted with, forces which obstruct and keep them from achievements they are actually capable of. The Primitive Structures depict structures that we might come upon in a proto world, and ask why were these built? What was their purpose? Who were the people who built these, what were their ways of thinking, what were the strange concepts of people before a hundred thousand years ago?In the Text Series, one of the issues addressed is that of the individual not fitting in with the larger group. Also in this series, various situations and states-of-affairs involving people are addressed.
Theodore is involved with painting (both acrylic and watercolor), drawing, and writing, and has curated exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles.
AVAILABLE ARTWORKS BY THEODORE SVENNINGSEN
PAST EXHIBITIONS
EDUCATION
Master’s Degree, Philosophy – U.C.L.A. - Advanced to Doctoral Candidcy
B.A. Philosophy – U.C.L.A. - graduated cum laude
MFA – fine art, painting – Otis College of Art and Design
EXHIBITED (partial list – selected )
“Theory of the Green Painting”, Wonzimer Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
The Drawing Center, New York, NY
University Art Museum, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, Guangzhou, China
Artists Space, New York, NY
80 Washington Square East Gallery, New York University, New York, NY
Japanese American Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA
“Primitive Structures”, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
“Who Doesn’t Fit In ? & Other Conceptual Work”, POST, Los Angeles, CA
“The Theory of the Green Painting”, Wonzimer Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“The Anti Theory Paintings”. Transport Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Truth and Self Deception”, Offramp Gallery, Pasadena, CA
“Context”, Hudson | Linc, San Pedro, CA
Now Gallery, New York, NY
ROOM, New York, NY
Haus Gallery, Pasadena, CA
The Frostig Collection, Santa Monica, CA
The Platt and Bornstein Gallery, University of Judaism, Bel Aire. CA
City Without Walls, Newark, NJ
MUSEUM AND CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Museum of Modern Art, artists book collection, New York, NY
Staatliche Museum zu Berlin, Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Kunstbibliothek, Berlin, Germany
University Art Museum, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art. Guangzhou, China
Otis College of Art and Design, artists book collection, Los Angeles, CA
University of Iowa, Special Collections, Artworks and Bookworks, Iowa City, IA
Bank of America Corporate Collection, San Francisco, CA
J.P.Morgan Guarantee Trust, New York, NY
Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Corporate Collection, Seattle, WA
Broad National Bank Corporate Collection, Newark, NJ
COMMISSIONED MURALS
Mural at the School of Architecture of the University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Mural at Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, CA