SIMONE FREIHEIT
Location:
Grindsted, Denmark
ARTIST BIO
Simone Freiheit is a Danish visual artist whose life and work are deeply entwined with the wild landscapes of her upbringing near Holme Å. Her artistic foundation is built on a perpetual engagement with drawing and painting—a practice she has nurtured since childhood—characterized by a continuous pursuit of technical skill through specialized courses. While a notable milestone in her development was the Visual Arts Course (BGK) in Esbjerg in 2008, her creative journey has been an enduring process of exploration.
On September 1, 2024, Simone made the definitive leap to follow her calling, launching her independent studio and Gallery Simone Freiheit. Drawing on the meaning of her own name—Freiheit, German for freedom—her practice serves as a bridge between her academic background (BA in History), a decade-long career in HR and marketing, and her profound love for the visual arts. This diverse experience informs her professional approach, blending technical skill with deep historical and human insights.
Her career reached a significant milestone in 2025, when she was selected for the prestigious juried exhibition Fugl 2025 at the Johannes Larsen Museum—a testament to her growing presence in contemporary Danish birdlife art. Beyond the studio, Simone is a dedicated art educator, having founded the Holmeå Art Association and teaching children’s art schools, fostering the same creative spark in others that has driven her since she first picked up a brush.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My artistic practice is a celebration of the quiet moments and a challenge to traditional aesthetic hierarchies. Under the subtitle "A touch of freedom" (Et strejf af frihed), my work explores the bird as the ultimate symbol of liberty—a theme that is not only reflected in my subjects but also in my very name, Freiheit.
Having spent my life immersed in nature—often at dawn with my hunting license as a ticket to silence—I am drawn to the profound magic found in the simple, overlooked wonders of the wild. The core of my work is a re-evaluation of how we perceive nature. In avian art, the spotlight often falls on the vibrant displays of male birds. In contrast, I choose to portray the "quiet ones": the subtle, resilient beauty of the female bird, and species like the crow or cormorant that exist on the fringes of traditional beauty. By elevating the female species, I find a parallel to my passion for empowering women; both represent a hidden strength and a vital presence that deserves to be seen and honored.
This focus on visibility extends to my project "Denmark’s Lost Birds," where I explore themes of fragility and loss within our ecosystems. Through a style that moves between detailed realism and simplified expression, I aim to capture the contemplative depth of the natural world. My goal is to inspire the viewer to stop, breathe, and find their own sanctuary—offering them a touch of that freedom I find when the world wakes up at dawn.
