Today, Marcus Jansen is considered a leading painter of his generation. His canvases are epic, apocalyptic and gorgeously expressive. But back in 1990, art was the last thing on his mind. Instead, he was fighting as an American soldier in the Gulf War. In 1997, he left the military and was diagnosed with PTSD. Enrolling on an art therapy course, Jansen unearthed his raw talent and passion for painting. "After seeing the war’s destruction, I instantly questioned the political and human motivations for why we do what we do”, he says. “I’ve said in prior interviews that [art] has saved my life an...
Bio
Marcus Jansen (he/him) was born 1968 in New York and grew up between Europe and America. Today he’s based in Florida and New York.
Did you know?
Although Jansen didn’t become a full-time painter until after his career in the army, he always had a flair for art. At six years old his painting of a lion was chosen to be exhibited at the Lever House in Manhattan.
Collections
Jansen’s work is in major collections across the world including The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA), The University of Michigan Museum of Art, The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art and The Rollins Museum of Art.