KnudPedersen
Biography
Knud Pedersen 1925 Grenaa, Denmark – 2014 Copenhagen, Denmark.) was a Danish artist and resistance figure, recognized for his role in avant-garde and Fluxus art. Born in Grenaa, Denmark, he first gained attention as a teenager during World War II when he co-founded the Churchill Club, a youth resistance group that actively sabotaged Nazi forces in Denmark. After the war, Pedersen shifted his focus to the arts, working to make art more accessible to the public. He established the Kunstbiblioteket (Art Library) in Copenhagen, allowing people to borrow artworks much like books from a library. This project reflected his belief that art should be integrated into everyday life rather than confined to galleries. During the 1960s, Pedersen played a crucial role in introducing Fluxus art to Denmark. Collaborating with artists such as Arthur Køpcke, Eric Andersen, and Henning Christiansen, he organized a series of Fluxus concerts in Copenhagen in 1962, some of the first of their kind in Denmark. These events helped establish Fluxus as a prominent movement in the country, merging performance, conceptual art, and experimental music. Always pushing artistic boundaries, Pedersen initiated unconventional public art projects. One of his most notable experiments was a 1964 collaboration with the Tuborg brewery, displaying art on beer delivery trucks to bring creative expression into everyday urban life. He also explored sound art, incorporating a jukebox into his Art Library, allowing visitors to experience recorded sound pieces as an extension of visual art. Throughout his career, Pedersen remained committed to breaking down barriers between art and the public, advocating for accessible and participatory art experiences. His legacy as a Fluxus innovator and public art pioneer continues to influence contemporary art in Denmark and beyond.
