If you have spent time in Denmark’s art world lately, you’ve likely heard the name Frederik Næblerød. The 37-year-old Danish artist, who graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2018, has become something of a firebrand. He is arguably one of the most popular artists working in the country today. The thousands who turned out for the opening of his largest solo exhibition to date at ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art on an icy February evening are a testament to his popularity.

Næblerød’s bright and childlike paintings, made at famously breakneck speed, might be compared to the raw expression and spontaneity of the CoBrA movement. His sculptures embrace a similar, punk aesthetic, made by pummeling lumps of clay until his hands hurt and incising details with a pair of scissors. Collectors are clamouring to buy the works, which can be found in Danish institutions such as the Horsens Art Museum, Vejle Art Museum, Kastrupgårdsamlingen, The Danish Arts Foundation and New Carlsberg Foundation.

But as recognisable as his art has become, Næblerød has also earned a level of notoriety for his persona. He became a household name as the cheeky disruptor on the TV show Kunstnerkolonien i Skagen (2020), which followed a group of artists working on the Jutland peninsula, and was the subject of his own spinoff documentary called Ufortyndet (2021). Over two action packed hours, Næblerød gives an insight into the explosive energy that defines his art and life—at one point, his driving license is revoked for speeding on an Italian highway in a rented Mercedes, while on his way to paint a collector’s home. Næblerød has also been criticised for being too commercial. But this is not an artist trying to change the world. Næblerød isn’t overly concerned by the meaning of his art. Instead, he is compelled by instinct and the rush of creative energy.

The title of the ARKEN exhibition, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, speaks to the accessible nature of Næblerød’s work—creative, colourful and unequivocally fun. It follows a burgeoning programme at ARKEN focused on young, fashionable Danish artists like Esben Weile Kjær and Eva Pade. A giant spider on the façade of the museum, designed by Danish architect Søren Robert Lund in 1996, welcomes visitors.

Inside, Næblerød has made a make-shift studio, replete with a sofa, plants, easels and a kiln, where he will work periodically during the exhibition. It’s an astute idea for Næblerød to take up residence and confront visitors directly when so much of the work is about his feverish creativity. The array of paintings in this opening space, lining the skylight overhead and propped up against the museum’s architectural girders, speaks to Næblerød’s prolific practice and the sheer amount of work curator Rasmus Stenbakken must have had to choose from. For the opening night, several blank canvases and a selection of paint pots and brushes were set up, a mise-en-scene ready to go. Visitors will also have the opportunity to make their own works in a nod to the democratic ethos of Næblerød’s art.

The first gallery, painted in bubble-gum pink, is a declaration of who Næblerød is today. All of the works have been made recently—confident, playful and unapologetic—and feature a riotous cast engaged in absurd goings-on. Lipstick-stained monsters, tuxedoed punks, Batman seated in a wheelchair and a drunk in his underwear all appear, slapped onto the canvas from buckets of paint. A large painting depicting a stage with a solitary microphone, shrouded by an orange and black striped curtain, is conspicuously devoid of actors (Empty Stage (Fear of Performing) (2024)). It’s an insight perhaps into Næblerød’s own role as an artist and the performance he is expected to give.

Anarchic paintings give way to a gallery devoted to ceramics—mutant figures of protruding tentacles and polyps that mark a curious shift in gear. Elsewhere, a series of Næblerød’s recent bronzes are on display. Unlike Næblerød’s impulsive approach to painting, sculpture demands a distinctly slower pace; there has to be a certain amount of planning when it comes to firing clay and casting bronze. This deceleration leaves space to admire Næblerød’s skills beyond his fast and furious energy.

Similarly, the works made soon after Næblerød’s graduation from art school reveal some early experiments with materials and techniques. Paintings like Fishy (2022) and Believe & Receive (2021) have the feel of a young artist trying to find their voice, influenced by the gestural markmaking of American action painters like Jackson Pollock. And yet, these works are still only a few years old. It seems Næblerød lives vividly in the moment.

The exhibition reaches a crescendo with the vast installation, Scrapbook (2025). Made with photographer Fredrik Clement, it comprises photographs from the studio and exhibitions, snaps of the artist and drawings, all collaged together in a fizzing medley. The result is a wild stream of consciousness over the gallery walls.

The final room is occupied by a ramshackle house, slowly filling with smoke. It’s a reconstruction of the building that Næblerød and fellow artist Casper Aguila occupied, reconstructed and decorated while they were students, after it was wrecked by Storm Bodil in 2013 and destroyed again in 2016. The pair have transformed other buildings, like an abandoned farm in Vig and an old schoolhouse in Odsherred, into site-specific installations, echoing the gatherings of CoBrA artists and the artworks they would leave behind. Næblerød has also transformed ARKEN’s Detlefs Hall into a botanical garden, filled with statues, twisting flora and fearsome creatures.

While Næblerød’s presence cannot help but loom large, this show does present an opportunity to reflect on the art rather than the artist. We will have to wait to determine whether Næblerød will transition from a Scandinavian phenomenon to wider international acclaim. For now, the paintings, sculptures and installations at ARKEN do not take themselves too seriously, and neither should we.

Frederik Næblerød’s solo exhibition, 'ALL WALKS OF LIFE', is on view at ARKEN until 21 September, 2025.