“Art is not a democratic process—I could never predict the emotional impact in the single individual.”
The Mirror Within the Canvas
When Jørgen Folkersen, known in the art world by his signature name Volkvard, transitioned from a life in science to a full-time dedication to painting, he didn’t simply change careers—he embraced an entirely new form of communication. With a background rooted in medical science and a deep interest in psychology and trauma, Volkvard channels his lifelong understanding of human complexity into emotionally charged artworks. His paintings do not narrate stories or decorate walls—they serve as catalysts for emotional encounters, offering viewers the space to experience themselves through what they see.
Volkvard’s work seeks to awaken, not inform. He avoids intellectual interpretations in favor of raw emotional presence, emphasizing that the value of art lies not in its explanation, but in the individual response it provokes. He positions his practice as an invitation to inner reflection, highlighting the intimate and varied reactions people have when confronted with abstract and expressive visuals. For him, a painting’s worth emerges only when it resonates emotionally within the viewer, revealing something essential about their personal journey. This belief drives his intent to spark self-exploration, not impose meaning.
Rather than follow art historical conventions or traditional narratives, Volkvard engages with the psychological terrain of silence, vulnerability, rupture, and human interconnection. These themes underpin every brushstroke and visual decision in his studio, where painting becomes a dialogue between inner and outer experience. In rejecting the notion of aesthetic consensus, he champions emotional subjectivity as the most authentic space where art can live—making his canvases less statements and more reflective surfaces for the soul.
Volkvard: Emotions as Unpredictable Terrain
Volkvard’s path to art was not linear, but layered and quietly persistent. For three decades, he maintained a dual identity—painting semi-professionally while advancing a career in science. It wasn’t until 2019 that he committed fully to his artistic calling, retiring early to devote himself to the studio. During those early years, his work was shown in corporate art clubs around Copenhagen, where he also conducted surveys to understand how his paintings were received. The results surprised him: reactions varied wildly, sometimes even violently, from adoration to revulsion—often for the same piece.
This discovery—that individuals projected their own life histories and emotional states onto his work—reshaped his understanding of artistic value. Instead of controlling interpretation, he leaned into unpredictability, recognizing that viewers rarely connected with the emotions he experienced while painting. One person might feel calm, another unease; one might see chaos, another structure. These inconsistencies weren’t a problem—they were the point. The artwork didn’t reside in the canvas but in the dynamic space between the viewer and their perception of it. Volkvard found this divergence not only fascinating but foundational.
To illustrate this phenomenon, he created a video series available on his website, showcasing the distinct emotional responses of three different individuals to the exact same painting. These filmed reactions demonstrate the depth of variance in human engagement with abstract art and validate his commitment to ambiguity. Rather than seeing disagreement as failure, he interprets it as proof of emotional authenticity. By giving up the need for control, Volkvard allows his art to become a mirror in motion, constantly shifting based on who stands before it.
Between Stillness and Sound
Volkvard describes his style as semi-abstract expressionism—emotional, intuitive, and never fixed. His canvases are built with acrylics, chosen for their immediacy and absence of toxic chemicals, reflecting both his scientific concern for health and his desire for an unfiltered connection between thought and gesture. There’s a visceral boldness in the way he applies paint, but it’s always in service of evoking sensations rather than constructing narratives. Each piece offers an open emotional field, inviting the viewer to pause and wander without expectation.
He draws heavily on themes often unspoken: trauma, intimacy, disconnection, and the search for spiritual clarity. While his work references personal and collective struggles, it stops short of depicting them literally. Instead, it evokes the emotional residue left by life’s quiet ruptures and sudden epiphanies. His studio is a place of silence, but not of stillness—it’s a charged space where emotional intensity accumulates beneath the surface. Music is a frequent companion in this process, particularly when it connects to the sacred or existential. This sensory fusion strengthens his focus and enhances the emotional sensitivity of the painting process.
One piece that holds deep personal meaning for Volkvard is titled Contemplation. Unlike more dramatic works, this painting whispers rather than shouts. It reflects his core belief that creativity flourishes in calm—when the mind is still and unguarded. Contemplation does not demand attention but gently invites it, offering a visual space for retreat and introspection. For Volkvard, this piece symbolizes not just an aesthetic aim but an inner state of being: a readiness to listen to oneself, to meet the silence with curiosity rather than fear.
Volkvard: Expanding Emotional Architecture
Beyond the individual canvas, Volkvard harbors a long-term vision that pushes the boundaries of traditional exhibition formats. He dreams of creating large-scale paintings designed specifically for spiritual or meditative environments—spaces where contemplation is the primary activity. His ambition is not to produce religious iconography, but to develop visual environments that resonate with universal emotional states such as grief, hope, empathy, and transcendence. These installations would offer moments of emotional clarity, serving both the faithful and the secular in their search for meaning.
This aspiration connects naturally to his previous professional work in trauma-focused therapy and the psychological study of stress. In his eyes, spaces of healing and reflection need not be verbal or clinical—they can also be visual and immersive. A painting, when placed thoughtfully, can hold space for unspoken emotions and private awakenings. He sees these meditative works as architectural elements, anchoring rooms not with doctrine but with emotional depth. The absence of literal meaning is what gives these works their power—they make room for what cannot always be named.
Volkvard has also begun exploring digital art, using it primarily as a conceptual tool. While he remains grounded in analog methods, the digital medium offers new ways to experiment with composition and emotional tone before committing to the canvas. Several digital pieces are currently in development, signaling a fluid integration of traditional and contemporary techniques. Whether rendered in acrylic or pixels, the through-line remains unchanged: a dedication to creating spaces—on canvas, in rooms, or through screens—that awaken the emotional intelligence of the viewer and invite them, ever so quietly, to feel.
