ASTRID KROGH (Danish, b. 1968)
Arabesque (Dandelion), 2024
Aluminum, 23-carat gold leaf
Overall: 174" H x 170" W
Astrid Krogh creates large-scale textiles and light-based public installations that delve into the microscopic structures of biological life and the elusive organization of the universe. Her foundation in textile design led her to a structuralist approach to the study of unobservable and overlooked phenomena, mixing rational inquiry with wonder. She is drawn to “patterns that embrace changeability,” in her words.
Since 2000, Krogh has crafted hand-woven tapestries based on traditional Scandinavian rya and Central Asian ikat textiles, updating their techniques to incorporate fiber optic cables. These digital fibers are programmed to transmit light in an ebb and flow of color. Her sensitivity toward light and its effects led her to reconsider the photons emitted by distant stars, galaxies, and nebulas, many of which take vast stretches of time to reach our eyes. Meanwhile, her proximity to the Baltic Sea prompted her to incorporate branching species of seaweed and other plant specimens into her work.
Astrid Krogh lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. She graduated in 1997 from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Design with a degree in textile design. Krogh has exhibited internationally and completed numerous large-scale installations for public spaces, including the Uppsala Central Railway Station, the Platinan building in central Gothenburg, the Täby Simhall, and the Danish University Centre in Beijing. She is the recipient of numerous awards, honors, and grants, including the Finn Juhl Prize, CODAawards, the Nationalbankens Jubilæumsfonds Bequest, the Knud V. Engelhardt Memorial Bequest, and a series of grants from the Danish Arts Foundation.