Asger Jorn was born in 1914 in Vejrum, Denmark and died in 1973 in Aarhus, Denmark.

The Danish artist, writer, sculptor and ceramist's original name was Asger Olug Jörgensen. He changed his name to Asger Jorn in 1945. In 1930 he began painting. In 1938 his first solo exhibition was held in Copenhagen, after this he continued searching for a more spontaneous painting technique. While he lived in Denmark, which was occupied by the Germans during the second World War, he published a forbidden journal.

Jorn began seeking his inspiration beyond the boundaries of his own country as he was unhappy with the Danish cultural climate. During these travels through France, The Lapland, Tunice, and the Netherlands, he came in contact with the artists Karel Appel and Constant.

On the 8th of November 1948, together with Constant and Christian Dotremont, Jorn formed the theoretical group of Cobra. Jorn is considered to be the driving force.

Jorn was the master of ceramics, with Picasso serving as a major inspiration. In 1951, shortly before the end of the Cobra movement, he caught tuberculosis and spent many months recovering. In the Louisiana museum in Denmark, both paintings and sculptures by Jorn are permanently shown.