Janna Yamuna Kirkeby (b. 1980) is a Danish artist whose work explores the space between the conscious and the unconscious. Through painting and paper collage, she investigates themes of identity, rootlessness, belonging, desires and power – both on a personal and universal scale.

Her imagery often draws on the melancholic beauty of abandoned Danish homes, interwoven with elements of nature, symbolism, mythical beings, and pop culture figures, like superheroes. These recurring motifs serve as gateways to deeper reflections on the inner landscapes of the human experience. Her work continually returns to the contrasts between vulnerability and strength, beauty and decay – and the cyclical nature of life itself.

Artist Statement;

"At its core, my art explores the deep wound of displacement. The experience of being transnationally adopted—of being removed from one family, culture, and heritage to be placed in another—is a defining part of my story. My work reflects a personal journey to understand this fragmented identity, to rebuild a sense of self, and to search for the connections that were lost. In my art, I am creating a new world, weaving together the myths and stories needed to bridge a past that was fractured with the present I am creating. 

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"I externalize my inner world and imagination. This practice is also a historical connection to lost traditions and values, allowing me to question what happens when our deep relationship to the earth and one another is set aside by colonialism, imperialism, and capitalist interests".

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Born in Sri Lanka and adopted to Denmark as a child, Janna grew up in a creative family in Copenhagen, where art and culture formed an essential part of everyday life. This early exposure laid the foundation for her artistic path, which began formally at Holbæk Art College in 2000. She debuted with her first solo exhibition in 2004 and has since exhibited across a few Danish galleries. 

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