"Art saved my life. It’s the ultimate celebration of my freedom.”
Painting: a matter of life or death
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...
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 and I’ve always meant that quite literally”.
Born to a Caribbean mother and a German father, Jansen grew up between America and Europe. In New York, he was influenced by the graffiti and street art community, fascinated by urban decay and the effect of climate change on local environments. He also became aware of the influential painter Jean-Micheal Basquiat and Abstract painting from the '60 and '70s. Living in Europe, Jansen learnt about the German Expressionists, who he admired because they "rebelled in times of war, poverty and political unrest". On the shoulders of art history, Jansen developed his own monumental style. With a sarcastic, socially-charged sense of humour, Jansen chronicles our time – and in the process, reveals just how deeply he's thought about it.
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.
