Åshild Kanstad Johnsen
About Åshild Kanstad Johnsen
Åshild Kanstad Johnsen (born 1978) holds an M.A. from the Art School in Bergen (2008). She made her book debut in 2010 with Kubbe Makes a Museum, which has since been translated into 15 languages. Åshild’s love of hands-on projects and her interest in studying manuals have strongly influenced her artistic practice, making her books particularly suitable for educational use.
In 2015, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum transformed Kubbe’s home-museum into a real art museum, bringing her character to life for a wide audience. Kubbe has also inspired a short animation series and various merchandise in Japan.
Her drawing style is characterized by busy, detail-rich images created mainly with thin pens. Åshild believes that physical movement, drawing, and practicing handwriting are meditative activities—and true lifesavers in an increasingly chaotic and overwhelming online world.
Awards and Nominations
2016 The award of the Japan Society for Exhibition Studies as the best exhibition for 2013-2015
2014 The Most Beautiful Digital Book of the Year (awarded by Grafill) – Gold for Kubbe lager skyggeteater
2011 The Most Beautiful Books of the Year (awarded by Grafill) – Silver for Kubbe lager museum