If a lump of soot falls into the soup
Sarah Hilmer Rex
August 21, 2026
The gallery is delighted to open Sarah Hilmer Rex’s very first solo exhibition, titled If a lump of soot falls into the soup.
The exhibition features a series of paintings that appear almost monumental in their composition, palette, and presence. The works are meticulously executed with great technical expertise, rendered in a near-hyperrealistic style that is far more expressive than what is conventional.
The motifs are based on photographs taken by Rex’s grandfather of his own home to document the damages caused by a fire for his insurance company. The paintings are beautiful yet poignant snapshots, with the exact dates of the photographs painted onto the canvas. They offer a unique glimpse into the deeply private, capturing the painful experience of a home ceasing to be one's home. In this way, the images address a concrete, real-world event, while simultaneously touching upon broader questions: what does a home mean, how do we establish ourselves, and what truly matters? The works embody a powerful dualism between destruction (the fire) and creation (the art).
Sarah Hilmer Rex (b. 1982) is a Danish artist based in Bergen. She is currently completing her Master’s degree at the Faculty of Art, Music and Design (KMD) in Bergen, yet she has already established a distinct and mature artistic vocabulary. Rex stands out as an exceptional talent, and her work is characterized by a rare meticulousness and a profound interest in materiality. Through media such as painting, sculpture, and installation, she explores the domestic as both an idea and a physical reality.
It is a rare occurrence for the gallery to showcase an artist who is still completing their education, and we have very high expectations for her future career. Already in 2026, one of her works was selected for the prestigious Spring Exhibition at Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen.
The representation of Rex supports the gallery’s ambition to showcase outstanding artists who combine high-level artistic craftsmanship with conceptual strength. We look forward to an incredibly exciting collaboration and to sharing her unique and powerful universe with our collectors and visitors.
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