Ninna Sten-Knudsen

Nina Sten-Knudsen is one of the leading figures in Danish painting from the 1980s and 1990s. Her work combines mythological and existential themes with a distinctive sense of narrative, often connecting the spiritual and historical with the urban and contemporary.

In 1990, Sten-Knudsen exhibited the solo show Iokaste at Stalke Galleri in Copenhagen. The exhibition received major critical attention and positioned her as one of the central artists of her generation. The show coincided with her illustrative work for the publication of Jørgen Mejer’s and Søren Ulrik Thomsen’s translation of Sophocles’ King Oedipus, and it explored metaphysical contrasts between human beings, fate, and law.

Critics highlighted her ability to translate complex philosophical and mythological narratives into visual form. The exhibition presented a series of paintings and drawings focused on the female protagonist in King Oedipus, rendered with a monumental and psychological intensity that became characteristic of Sten-Knudsen’s mature style.

Alongside the exhibition, Stalke Galleri produced a series of lithographs by Nina Sten-Knudsen, capturing the visual strength and atmosphere of her paintings. These lithographs remain important early examples of her graphic work from that period.