PIERRE ALECHINSKY

Alechinsky, both an artist and graphic designer studied at the Architecture Academy in Brussels. Although the youngest member of the Cobra group and participant in the 1949 exhibition, he had a decicive impact on Cobra. Among other things Alechinsky was active in the Cobra publications. The old building in Brussels he refurbished became the scene of many Cobra activities.

Japanese calligraphy became his great passion which inspired him and some Japanesse artists to make the film "Calligraphie Japonaise". When the group dissolved in 1951 he moved to Paris where he lives today. He has also travelled and painted in the USA.

KAREL APPEL

The Dutch artist, sculptor and ceramist Appel studied at the State Academy in Amsterdam during the years 1940-43. After the Second World War he worked with drawings made by children. His first exhibition was in Groningen in 1946. He moved to Paris in 1950, where he shared an apartment with Corneille and Constant. In Paris his painting became more grotesque, incorporating monsters, animals and people. He also experimented in the three-dimensional works. Strong dynamic forms and brilliant colour are the characteristics of his work.

The name Appel became a symbol of rebellion to the working class. He was commissioned to paint the Stedelijk Museum bar and illustrate poems. He has been awarded the UNESCO price in the Venice Biennale in 1954 and the Guggenheim international award in 1960. Appel began to paint reliefs in 1968, these were followed by wood and polyester sculptures and even later by aluminium. Now he lives in New York.

JEAN MICHAEL ATLAN

In 1930 Atlan moved to Paris where he graduated at the Sorbonne Univeristy with a degree in philosophy. This self-taught artist begun painting in 1941. His strong, expressionistic paintings were exhibited in 1944, later however his painting became more abstract. He fully followed the Cobra ideology and felt strongly for the mythical art. His studio in Paris was a meeting place for Danish and Dutch artists.

CORNEILLE, Cornelis van Beverloo

The Belgian artist Corneille (Cornelis van Beverloo) with Dutch origin was active within the group from the beginning, not only painting but also publishing poetry in the Cobra magazine. Corneille and Appel, wartime friends, worked regularly together in Appel´s Amsterdam flat. The poetic and less aggressive Corneille was strongly influenced by Miró and Klee. After the group dissolved in 1951 he moved to Paris and began collecting African art. These primitive artifacts became evident in his works that begin to take on a more imaginative style, like landscapes seen from a birds eye view, exotic birds and stylised forms.

STEPHEN GILBERT

Gilbert is one of the very few Brittish representatives in the group. He had been contacted by Asger Jorn who had seen his works in Paris in 1948. The mythical world of the work reminded Jorn of his own painting style. Gilbert held exhibitions in Amsterdam and Luik, where he met Constant, with whom he shared views, worked on special constructions and they became good friends. Gilbert uses steel and aluminium in his polychromic works.

HENRY HEERUP

The Danish artist Heerup was very interested in the Danish avant-garde and through this came into contact with the Cobra group. The Cobra ideology, which in fact did not influence his painting style, offered him a chance to exhibit his art and sculptures. Frequent motives in his paintings are people carrying waste baskets, pushing garbage carts or working with shovels. For his sculptures, which were often playful and huomorous he used granite or "found objects".

ASGER JORN

This Danish artist, sculptor, writer and ceramist Jorn changed his name from Asger Olug Jörgensen to Asger Jorn in 1945. He begun painting 1930 and went later to Paris to further his studies in art at the Léger Academy. Jorns´s first solo exhibition was held in Copenhagen in1938 after which he continued searching for a more spontaneous painting technique. During the Second World War while living in Denmark, which was occupied by the Germans, Jorn published a forbidden journal.

In his unhappiness with the Danish cultural climate Jorn begun seeking his inspiration beyond the boundaries of his own country and it was during these travels through Tunice, France, the Lapland and the Netherlands that he came into contact with the artists Constant and Appel. Together with Constant and Dotremont on the 8th of November 1948, Jorn formed the theorethical group of Cobra in which he is considered to be the driving force.

Of all the artists associated with Cobra, Jorn was the undisputed master of ceramics, with Picasso serving as a mojor inspiration. Shortly before the end of the Cobra-movement in 1951 Jorn contracted the TB and spent many months in a sanatorium recovering. Both paintings and sculptures by Jorn are permanently shown in the Louisiana museum in Denmark.

LUCEBERT, Lubertus J. Swaanswijk

The Dutch painter Lucebert changed his name from Lubertus S. Swaanswijk to Lucebert. Although he did not participate in any of the Cobra exhibitions as an artist, he played an important role within the group, being the master of ceremonies and giving poetical performances during the group exhibitions.

Lucebert combined poetry with painting as is illustrated in the eight books he made during the years 1949-51. These works have been published in all publications relating to Cobra or Dutch experimental art. In the 50´s strongly under the influence of Cobra, Lucebert directs his creativity more and more to painting.

CARL-HENNING PEDERSEN

The Danish artist Pedersen was confronted with the Cobra-group during the Cobra exhibition of 1948 in Amsterdam. He was influenced by the Danish mythology which coincided well with the ideals of the experimental group. He married Else Alfelt who also joined the Cobra group. Pedersen´s paintings have been exhibited in Amsterdam and they often appeared in the Cobra publication. He has been awarded the UNESCO -price in the Venice Biennale in 1962.

Pedersen´s paintings and sculptures are permanently exhibited at the Louisiana museum in Denmark.

ANTON ROOSKENS

The Dutch artist Rooskens was one of the oldest members in the Cobra group. He had already developed his own style before the group was established. His experiences of the war and impressions of artifacts he had seen at an exhibition from New Guinea in 1945 strongly influenced his painting. Roosken´s paintings took on a freer and more spontaneos style after coming in contact with Corneille and Appel in 1946. As early as 1948 he joined the Dutch Experimental Group and later became a Cobra member. However, the cooperation didn´t last for very long due to disagreements. This can be noticed as reproductions of his works are conspiciously absent in the Cobra publications. A common interest he had shared with Cobra was primitive art and drawings made by children.

ROBERT JACOBSEN

Although Jacobsen never became a member of the Cobra group he lived in Paris in the Danish Artists recidence. His work has fantastic and comical forms that can be seen as strong parallels to Cobra. His first works are of wood but later through Heerup he became familiar with stone, then metals. It was his iron works that won him international acclaim.