Kristoffer Zeiner (b. 1987, Norway) is a visual artist based in Amsterdam. His work explores the intersection of painting, materiality, and world-building, drawing from influences such as European folklore, Japanese gaming culture, and fantasy aesthetics. Zeiner’s paintings balance between figuration and abstraction, using a distinct process where he applies self-mixed oil pigments dry onto raw canvas, giving his works a rich, almost textile-like surface.
At the core of his practice is a fascination with how objects, landscapes, and symbols function within fictional worlds—both in painting and in the narratives we construct around them. His recent works have focused on the ambiguity of perception, inviting viewers to navigate spaces that feel both familiar and slightly unplaceable, much like the environments in video games or myths.
Zeiner has exhibited internationally, with recent solo and group exhibitions at Galleri M. Simons, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Galleri ISCA, Oude Kerk, and Arti et Amicitiae. He was awarded the Mondriaan Fund’s Young Talent Stipendium in 2021 and is currently preparing new projects that further explore the tactile and conceptual possibilities of painting.