Leif Sylvester Petersen is a painter, sculptor, graphic artist, musician and actor. The popular artist is known for his partnership with the multi-artist Erik Clausen, and his appearance in several popular films and TV series, including “Cirkus Casablanca”, “Midt om natten”, “Pusher II”, “Oldboys” and “Kartellet”. Sylvester founded the band Sylvester og Svalerne, which was behind the release of several LPs, including the popular “Mormors kolonihavehus” (Grandma’s allotment hut). For a number of years, Leif Sylvester Petersen was married to Eva Madsen, who is known for singing that song.
Leif Sylvester Petersen and the Homeless
Leif Sylvester Petersen made his début at the Artists’ Autumn Exhibition in the late 1960s. It was also at that time that he and Erik Clausen were performing their socially critical street entertainment. Today, Leif Sylvester works exclusively with his visual art and sculptures. He has created a large number of serigraphic works based on his own paintings. Leif Sylvester Petersen works with figure-expressionist images – a peek into a world that mixes idyll with horror and seriousness with fun. His main works on public display include the bronze sculpture “Det var det” (That was that) (2002) at Sylvester Petersen’s family grave at Assistens Kirkegård cemetery in Copenhagen, and “En engel iblandt os” (An angel among us), the monument at “Gravplads til gadens folk” (the graveyard for the homeless) (2013), also at Assistens Kirkegård. Leif Sylvester Petersen runs the gallery Python in inner Copenhagen.
Tapestries with Leif Sylvester Petersen, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró
Working with Poulin Design, Leif Sylvester Petersen has produced a number of his own works of art as tapestry-woven cushions or as tapestries in large formats. They are all woven in the finest quality by Jules Pansu, the French tapestry factory founded in Paris in 1878, which has the exclusive right to produce art and pictorial weavings for the Succession Picasso and the Fundació Joan Miró, among others. The close collaboration with Poulin Design and Jules Pansu has resulted in series of exclusive and sought-after tapestry weavings such as “Glade idioter” (Happy idiots), “Gadeliv” (Street life) and “Et hjørne af min verden” (A corner of my world).
Leif Sylvester Petersen at Exhibition – A Selection
Den Frie, Copenhagen. 1974; Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense 1993; Art Copenhagen, Forum, Cph. 1995; Stavanger, Norway 2000; Holstebro Kunstmuseum, Holstebro 2001; The Danish Cultural Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland 2006; KunstRAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2006; Art Fair, Den Bosch, the Netherlands 2007; Nordens hus, Torshavn, the Faeroe Islands 2008; Sofienholm, Lyngby 2010; Koldinghus 2010; Gjethuset, Frederiksværk 2013; Malaga 2014; Art Centre Silkeborg bad, 2015; Heerup Museum, Rødovre 2015; Sophienholm, Kongens Lyngby 2020; The Danish Cultural Institute in Brussels 2023.
Leif Sylvester Petersen’s Most Prestigious Nominations and Awards
1978 – The PH Award
1978 – The Danish Arts Foundation
1980 – The LO Award
1986 – The Danish Typographer's Association’s Cultural Award
1992 – SID’s Cultural Award
2001 – Artist of the Year, the Rockwool Foundation
Works by Leif Sylvester Petersen for Sale at Bruun Rasmussen
At Bruun Rasmussen, we have works for sale that arouse interest and are relevant to buyers and collectors. Here, you can keep an eye on the works by Leif Sylvester Petersen that you can bid on right now.
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