Danish artist marks 100 years with new exhibition in Mijas

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The collection of 19 paintings by Kurt Ard shows the traditional and folkloric side of Andalucía in the 1980s

Tony Bryant

Mijas

Friday, 19 December 2025, 10:26

The Mijas contemporary art centre in Calle Málaga is currently hosting an exhibition of paintings by renowned Danish national Kurt Ard, an artist who celebrates his centenary this month. The artist has spent more than half his life living in Spain, specifically in Andalucía. The exhibition, which can be visited until 12 February, consists of 19 acrylic paintings on cardboard and wood. Almost all of the pieces depict typical Andalusian scenes based on the customs and traditions of the 1980s, while one is inspired by Denmark, the artist's country of origin.

"My father's paintings show life as it was before, how people worked and what the festivals and fairs were like. There are also scenes of nature," explained Peter Ard, who represented his father during the opening of the exhibition last week.

The work is distinguished by its remarkable realism and profusion of detail, which at times makes the painting almost indistinguishable from a photograph.

"Kurt's work caught our attention, and we thought it could evoke a sense of nostalgia in people while also allowing them to appreciate the exceptional quality of the works," explained Francisco Javier Fructuoso, director of the Mijas art centre.

Born in Copenhagen on 20 December 1925, Ard emigrated to New York in 1950 and embarked on a career creating illustrations for newspapers and magazines, although he returned to his native Denmark in 1953. He moved to Spain in 1972.

The self-taught illustrator and graphic artist gained international recognition for a large number of magazine covers he created from the 1950s through to the 70s, including Reader's Digest, the Scandinavian magazines Allers and Familie Journalen, as well as the German magazine Hörzu.