Andreas Johnsen's film about the young Danish artist Alexander Tovborg is more than a portrait. Like a cinematic Künstlerroman, we are invited into Tovborg's inner universe through scenes from his life and practice. An ecstatic and exalted universe of mythical gravity, where basic themes inspired by history and religion are expressed in mighty, abstract patterns on the canvas, and in powerful performances. Exhibitions in New York and Copenhagen mark great strides in Tovborg's development towards his international breakthrough, while his role as a father starts to occupy his life. The grandeur of his artistic vision does not allow for a classical distinction between life and work, or between suffering self-sacrifice and the creative fulfilment of grandiose ideals. Like with Tovborg himself, Johnsen's screen is also a canvas, where the motifs and stories lie in many layers and involve the spectators to discover new details themselves.
