Kopenhagen

Kopenhagen Art News #1

2008-01-17T08:34:00Z

Jens Haaning, DANMARK, 2008 (part of the exhibition Danskjävlar)

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

Valby is a hot spot on the Copenhagen art scene. On January 17th all five galleries at Carl Jacobsens Vej 16 will celebrate the beginning of 2008 with specially curated group shows. On the same occasion there will be a one-night surprise exhibition by Casper Balslev at entrance 6. A must-see.
LARM Gallery, MOGADISHNI CPH, Bendixen Contemporary Art, Peter Lav Photo Gallery and Helene Nyborg Contemporary, Carl Jacobsens Vej 16, entrance 6, 13 & 20, 2500 Valby. Openings Thursday, January 17th, 5 - 8 pm

Gallery Bo Bjerggaard is located in the buzzing meat packing district of Copenhagen close to Karriere Bar and the 'street art' gallery V1. The gallery represents internationally acknowledged artists like Georg Baselitz, Sigmar Polke , Per Kirkeby and Jörg Immendorff. On January 17th Bo Bjerggaard opens an exhibition with early works by the German post-war artist A. R. Penck.
Gallery Bo Bjerggaard, Flæsketorvet 85A, 1711 København V. Opening Thursday, January 17th, 4.30 - 6.30 pm

Galerie Pi at Østerbro both houses exhibitions by recognised artists and brand new talents. On January 17th the gallery opens the solo show Precision Going Nowhere
by Danish academy student Pernille Moesgaard. Moesgaard's sculptures and paintings communicate on a symbolic level - with lots of humor and magic.
Galerie Pi. Dag Hammerskjölds Allé 33, 2100 København Ø. Opening Thursday, January 17th, 5 - 7 pm

In one of the leading gallery districts of Copenhagen - Bryggen - you find Kirkhoff. Kirkhoff focuses on international contemporary art and on January 18th the gallery opens the exhibition Dark Formalism presenting abstract paintings on wood and glass by the young Danish artist Thorbjørn Andersen (b. 1977).
Kirkhoff, Sturlasgade 12B, 2300 København S. Opening Friday, January 18th, 5 - 8 pm

...........

WE RECOMMEND:

Ann Lislegaard, Work in Progress (after Ursula K. Le Guin), 2008

The newly renovated Charlottenborg has demonstrated itself as the largest contemporary art centre in Copenhagen. The opening exhibition - Danskjävlar (Danish Bastards) - is curated by Swedish director Bo Nilsson and is a tour-de-force of the most acclaimed Danish artists of today. But are they truly Danish?
Danskjävlar, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Nyhavn 2, 12.1. - 24.3.

Drud & Køppe Gallery distinguishes itself by showing contemporary objects created and produced as unique exhibits. The distinctively designed room is fantastic in its own right, but adorned by Louise Hindsgavl's porcelain figurines it is definitely worth a visit.
Louise Hindsgavl, Drød & Køppe Gallery, Bredgade 66, 11.1. - 9.2.

Gallery Faurschou, close to famous Nyhavn, is currently showing new works by American painter David Salle, famous for his complex, collage-like compositions. Faurschou promotes art of the highest international calibre with a main focus on modernist masterworks.
David Salle, Gallery Faurschou, Store Strandstræde 21, 10.1. - 8.3.

V1 is committed to introducing art with something at heart. Art is seen as a competent media for social and political engagement and the gallery aims at challenging both the viewers, the norms and itself. V1 just relocated to Copenhagens meat packing district and opened with a show featuring a.o. Jakob Boeskov, Jes Brinch, Jenny Holzer and Doug Fishbone.
Eyesore, V1, Flæsketorvet 69-71, 11.1. - 9.2.

Kopenhagen Art News #2

2008-01-24T15:30:00Z

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Gallery Nicolai Wallner)

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

In just a few years Backyard Gallery has grown from a hobby-activity in the suburbs to a professionally run gallery located smack in the middle of Copenhagen. Backyard emphasizes the work’s ability to speak to the heart and the fantasy of the viewer and at the same time be a vital and energizing part of a room. On January 25th Backyard opens the group exhibition ‘Repressive Tolerance 4 Ever?’ presenting works by young talents like Linda Bjørnskov, Kristina Ask, Orsolya Bagala, Jesper Aabille, Sophus Ejler Jepsen, Sabina Mlejnek and Mie Mørkeberg a.o.

Backyard Gallery, Højbro Plads 21B, 1200 København K.
Opening Friday, January 25th, 4-7 pm

Since the 80’s Steingrímur Eyfjörð has been an active and often critical participant in the Icelandic cultural life. He is a postmodern jack of all trades who moves effortlessly about the nooks of the art scene. Thematically he is interested in phenomena like national self-understanding and identity and often he takes as his starting point local stories, myths and sagas. In 2006 Eyfjörð was nominated for Carnegie Art Award and last year he represented Iceland at the Venice Biennial. So it is quite a scoop for Nordatlantens Brygge to get hold of this artist.

Nordatlantens Brygge, Strandgade 91, 1401 København K.
Opening Friday, January 25th, 4-6 pm

Gallery Nicolai Wallner is nothing short of an institution on the Danish art scene. The first to promote young, Scandinavian artists internationally, Nicolai Wallner made a name for himself in the mid-90’s and has managed to hold his leading position ever since. The artists of the gallery have all gained international recognition, including Joachim Koester who will open a solo show at Nicolai Wallner Friday. The exhibition will i.a. present the 16 mm black and white film installation Tarantism (2007) and the video installation Pit Music (1996).

Gallery Nicolai Wallner, Njalsgade 21, building 15, 2300 København S.
Opening Friday, January 25th, 5-7 pm

Beaver Projects is one of the younger galleries in Copenhagen. Owned by art historian Marie Dufresne it opened in the fall of 2006 but has already proved its worth. This week Beaver presents both an exhibition and a book release by Danish artist Michael Norre. Like Günther Förg Norre has made it his mission to react to practically everything: our culture, environment, politics and social life. Michael Norre likes to take a dip in the conceptual, formal and mental lakes of society - no matter the depth. In this exhibition black and white digital drawings will mix with objects and paintings. - And the journal-work ‘Notes’ will be handed out for free.

Beaver Projects, Strandlodsvej 15, 2300 København S.
Opening Friday, January 25th, 5-10 pm

...........

WE RECOMMEND:

Tal R, Jeg dræbte en pædagog, 2007 (part of the exhibition Danskjävler)

Kopenhagen Art News #3

2008-02-01T09:17:00Z

Christian Finne, Obscurepocketphilosophy, 2008 (Galleri Christoffer Egelund)

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

Based on psychedelic writer Terence McKennas idea of the ego as a tumour in the structures of the psyche and his own interest in exotic alkaloids and the intricate interplay between plant and mind, Danish artist Christian Finne has created a range of new works to be exhibited at Gallery Christoffer Egelund. The show is entitled God & Hair and takes as its point of departure the number 33 - referring to the artist's age, astrology, tarot and biorhythms as well as as the theory of the stoned ape and other pseudoscientific subjects. Please join the artist on his path towards spiritual transformation and remember: "the only cure for the calcareous tumour of ego is frequent repeated exposure to psychedelic plants".

Christian Finne: God & Hair (Return of The Stoned Ape Theory)
Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Bredgade 75, 1260 København K
Opening February 1st, 4-8 pm

Skulpturi.dk is an independent forum for sculpture run by a group of ..... well, sculptors. Skulpturiet not only curates shows but also sell, give advice and communicate information about sculptures in both private and public spaces. Skulpturiet is situated in the south-western part of Copenhagen in an industrial area. The space is large and bright and the perfect setting for big installations. The upcoming exhibition 'Critical Form' is curated by artist Lars Bent Petersen and presents a selection of works by both Danish and international artists.

Critical Form: Lone Haugaard Madsen, Frans Jacobi, Pernille Kapper Williams, Hesselholdt/Mejlvang, Henrik Olesen, Heimo Zobernig, Gåafstand (Pia Rönicke/Nis Rømer), Jacob Borges, Johannes Christoffersen, Pernille Width Madsen, Lars Bent Petersen, Martin Erik Andersen
Skulpturi.dk, Sydhavnsgade 28, 1. tv., 2450 København SV
Opening Friday February 1st, 5-8 pm

Gallery Nils Stærk does not take up much space but is nonetheless part of the internationally recognized group of Brygge-galleries. His first exhibition in 2008 takes the viewer Beneath the Surface. Without giving away too much we can disclose that the participating artists are Pierre Bismuth, Kim Fisher, Marie Søndergaard Lolk, Alan Uglow and Joseph Marioni. Check it out!

Beneath the Surface: Pierre Bismuth, Kim Fisher, Marie Søndergaard Lolk, Alan Uglow, Joseph Marioni
Nils Stærk Contemporary Art, Njalsgade 19C, 2300 København S
Opening February 1st, 5-7 pm

The exhibition space Pladsen (The Place) is run by three art students from the Royal Danish Art Academy: Jacob Jessen, Mikkel Carl and Honza. Using a workroom at the Academy's department for sculpture they organize 3-6 exhibitions a year - each one lasting only three days. The exhibitions examine the aesthetical and epistemological potential of the works and the next one is by Honza. He will show nine paintings, each generating a different world but looking like a repetition.

Honza: Thesame
Udstillingsstedet Pladsen, Frederiksholms Kanal 28A, 1220 København K
Opening February 1st, 4-8 pm

-------------------------------------------

WE RECOMMEND:

Under the headline Repressive Tolerance 4 Ever? Backyard Gallery brings the issue of 'suffocating goodwill' into focus. The phrase derives from the writings of Herbert Marcuse and refers to the twisted tolerance in the name of which liberal states oppress oppositional forces. This is a different group exhibition providing creative freedom for all and making room for experiments. Both established Danish artists and exciting foreign guests participate.

Repressive Tolerance 4 Ever?, 25.1. - 16.2.
Backyard Gallery, Højbro Plads 21B, 1200 København K

Candice Breitz, Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon), 2006 (Louisiana)

The series Louisiana Contemporary starts off 2008 with an exhibition by South African artist Candice Breitz (b. 1972). The exhibition shows five works - one video installation and four monumental photographs - all reflecting the way the general public mirrors itself in the icons of pop music. Turning her gaze towards the fan culture Breitz' characterisation of this modern identity project is both caricature and deeply felt. Go see it!

Candice Breitz, Louisiana Contemporary, 9.1. - 30.3.
Louisiana, Gl. Strandvej 13, 3050 Humlebæk

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Galleri Nicolai Wallner)

In his current exhibition at Gallery Nicolai Wallner intenationally acclaimed artist Joachim Koester presents two new works and one old. Koester's emphasis is on the issues of performativity and documentation and focus of attention is the video work 'Tarantism' from 2007 which explores a condition in Southern Italy resulting from the bite of the wolf spider, known as the tarantula. The bite causes the body to be seized by convulsions that previously could only be cured by a sort of frenzied dancing. The film is structured like a game, utilizing this idea to generate the movements of the dancers.

Joachim Koester: Tarantism + Pit Music, 25.1. - 29.3.
Gallery Nicolai Wallner, Njalsgade 21, building 15, 2300 København S

Michael Norre, Portræt af Ulla, 2007 (Beaver Projects)

Beaver Projects currently presents the exhibition 'Notes' by Michael Norre. Like Günther Förg Norre has made it his mission to react to practically everything: our culture, environment, politics and social life. Norre likes to take dips in the conceptual, formal and mental lakes of society - no matter the depth; and in addition to black and white digital drawings, objects and paintings the exhibition also presents an extensive - and free - journal work.

Michael Norre: Notes, 26.1. - 9.2.
Beaver Projects, Strandlodsvej 15, 2300 København S

Kopenhagen Art News #4

2008-02-05T10:57:00Z

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

Randi & Katrine, Fabricated Garden, 2005 (Courtesy MOGADISHNI CPH, Photo: Anders Sune Berg)

Randi & Katrine are among the most sensational young, Danish artists of today. They have asserted themselves both in Denmark and abroad with their romantic installations and sculptures that often unfold as scenographical narratives. Randi & Katrine are deeply fascinated by houses both as settings for day-to-day living and as reflections of the lives being led inside. Their exhibition at Gl. Strand presents two huge sculptures shaped as houses but at the same time resembling human faces. Based on the idea of carnival and masking the artists allow us to experience not only a facade but also an inner life.

Randi & Katrine
Gl. Strand, Gammel Strand 48, 1202 København K.
Opening Friday, February 8th, 4-6 pm (invitations only)

Ivan Andersen, E-45, 2008 (Galleri Bo Bjerggaard)

Ivan Andersen belongs to the fast-growing group of young figurative, Danish painters. His motives are often renderings of the ordinary, almost tedious, aspects of Danish everyday life but with an oblique approach to the subject. Parking spaces, single-family houses, living rooms and hot dog stands are thus combined with offbeat components and contorted structures, forcing the viewer to think of the trivial objects in new and different ways. It's all downhill from here is Ivan Andersen's first solo show at Gallery Bo Bjerggaard.

Ivan Andersen: It's all downhill from here
Gallery Bo Bjerggaard, Flæsketorvet 85A, 1711 København V.
Opening Thursday, February 7th, 4-6 pm

Vibe Bredahl, Pun Birds (Installation view, Galleri Tom Christoffersen, 2005)

Vibe Bredahl's installation at Martin Asbæk Projects is like stepping into a Wunderkammer belonging to a 17th Century European prince. The exhibition presents a puzzling accumulation of objects, drawings and photos centred around the notion of the journey, both the inner and outer. Having 'followed' the artist for years several of the objects can be seen as archetypal props and are thus tied to a far greater story of travelling and exploring the world. Bredahl is best known for her playfully naïve drawings that on closer inspection reveal more ferocious topics like death and loss. In the current show familiar items and creatures are alienated through comical conversions which paradoxically accentuate their inherent characteristics and nature, like the ostrich with a house on its head

Vibe Bredahl: The Journey
Martin Asbæk Projects, Bredgade 20, 1260 København K.
Opening Thursday, February 7th, 5-7 pm

Radical Software (Den Frie)

The exhibition Radical Software at Den Frie surveys the connections between art, media technology and different left-wing political projects from the 60's till today. The field includes video communes, free universities, artistic investigations of computer technology, street theatre companys and experimental documentaries. The different projects help elucidate the phenomenon of 'open source' and its history. The 'open source' culture or movement of 'free culture' covers initiatives all over the globe - initiatives that try to redefine our understanding of subjects like the digital domain, intellectual rights and copyright. Radical Software shows how these initiatives are based on the lifestyle experiments of the 60's and 70's and the alternative approach of this period to the possibilities of new technological mediums.

Radical Software: Ant Farm, Amy Balkin, Community Memory, Det Fri Universitet, Dean & Dudley Evenson, The Diggers, Charlotte & Sture Johannesson, Ferdinand Kriwet, Learning Site, Sarah Lewison & Erin McGonigle, Malmö Fria Kvinnouniversitet, National Center for Experiments in Television, Josh On, Raindance Corporation, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Solvognen, Superflex, Swop Network, tv-tv, University of Openess, VideoFreex
Den Frie, Oslo Plads, 2100 København Ø.
Opening Friday February 8th, 6-9 pm

Pernille Kapper Williams

Skulpturi.dk is an independent forum for sculpture run by a group of ..... well, sculptors. Skulpturi.dk not only curates shows but also sell, give advice and communicate information about sculptures in both the private and public sphere. Skulpturi.dk is situated in the south-western part of Copenhagen in an industrial area. The space is commodious and bright and the perfect setting for large installations. The current exhibition Critical Form is curated by artist Lars Bent Petersen and brings into focus the critical and linguistic potential of sculpture and its ability to relate to and elucidate social, political and historical contexts. Critical Form is not only a defence for the topicality of sculpture but also reflects on the self-criticism of the individual work.

Critical Form: Lone Haugaard Madsen, Frans Jacobi, Pernille Kapper Williams, Hesselholdt/Mejlvang, Henrik Olesen, Heimo Zobernig, Gåafstand (Pia Rönicke/Nis Rømer), Jacob Borges, Johannes Christoffersen, Pernille Width Madsen, Lars Bent Petersen, Martin Erik Andersen, February 2 - March 1
Skulpturi.dk, Sydhavnsgade 28, 1. tv., 2450 København SV

Candice Breitz, Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon), 2006 (Louisiana)

The series Louisiana Contemporary starts off 2008 with an exhibition by South African artist Candice Breitz (b. 1972). The exhibition shows five works - one video installation and four monumental photographs - all reflecting the way the general public mirrors itself in the icons of pop music. Turning her gaze towards the fan culture Breitz' characterisation of this modern identity project is both caricature and deeply felt. Go see it!

Candice Breitz, Louisiana Contemporary, January 1 - March 30
Louisiana, Gl. Stranvej 13, 3050 Humlebæk

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Galleri Nicolai Wallner)

In his current exhibition at Gallery Nicolai Wallner intenationally acclaimed artist Joachim Koester presents two new works and one old. Koester's emphasis is on the issues of performativity and documentation and focus of attention is the video work Tarantism from 2007 which explores a condition in Southern Italy resulting from the bite of the wolf spider, known as the tarantula. The bite causes the body to be seized by convulsions that previously could only be cured by a sort of frenzied dancing. The film is structured like a game, utilizing this idea to generate the movements of the dancers.

Joachim Koester: Tarantism + Pit Music, January 25 - March 29
Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Njalsgade 21, building 15, 2300 København S

Christian Finne, Central Head Machine, 2008 (Galleri Christoffer Egelund)

Based on psychedelic writer Terence McKennas idea of the ego as a tumour in the structures of the psyche and his own interest in exotic alkaloids and the intricate interplay between plant and mind, Danish artist Christian Finne is currently presenting a range of new works at Gallery Christoffer Egelund. The show is entitled God & Hair and takes as its point of departure the number 33 - referring to the artist's age, astrology, tarot and biorhythms as well as as the theory of the stoned ape and other pseudoscientific subjects. The viewer is welcome to join the artist on his path towards spiritual enlightenment but remember: "the only cure for the calcareous tumour of ego is frequent repeated exposure to psychedelic plants".

Christian Finne: God & Hair (Return of The Stoned Ape Theory), February 2 - March 1
Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Bredgade 75, 1260 København K

Kopenhagen Art News #5

2008-02-14T08:50:00Z

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

HUSKMITNAVN

HUSKMITNAVN (REMEMBERMYNAME) started out as a street artist putting his unforgettable tags and characteristic portrayals of prosaic everyday life on walls all over Copenhagen. In recent years he has expanded his territory and now also shows his works in newspapers and galleries. Copenhagen Wanted at V1 pays tribute to the city’s overlooked and oblique places and its often forgotten individuals – all portrayed in a color scheme that reaches from the bleached color photographs to the nicotine spotted tapestry of the pubs. This is HUSKMITNAVN’s largest exhibition to date. Don’t miss it.

HUSKMITNAVN: Copenhagen Wanted
V1, Flæsketorvet 69-71, 1711 København V
Opening Friday, February 15th, 5-10 pm

Kristina Lenard: Metro, 2007, C-print, 82 x 123 cm

For the group exhibition FOR A HAPPIER TOMORROW at Gallery Tom Christoffersen artist Alexandra Croitoru has selected a range of photography and video works from Central-Eastern Europe. The works reflect the relations set up by artists between themselves and the public sphere - especially by performing interventions in the public space. In their own different ways the artists challenge reality or create an alternative one as they show a critical but at the same time ironical and playful attitude to their social surroundings.

FOR A HAPPIER TOMORROW - Anca Benera, Kamen Stoyanov, Adela Demetja, Daniel Gontz, Kristina Lenard, Petar Mirkovic, Ivan Petrovic, Marek Kvetan & Erik Sikora
Gallery Tom Christoffersen, Skindergade 5, 1158 København K
Opening Friday, February 15th, 5-8 pm

Magnus Thierfelder: A Tension, cables, electrical outlets. Galerie von Bartha Contemporary, Basel, 2007

The starting point for the works of Magnus Thierfelder - now exhibiting at Gallery Christina Wilson - is the everyday object, whose ambiguous value he spotlights by morphologically manipulating details and proportions until a new, paradoxically effective quality is returned to them. Thierfelder's work is an exercise in visual synthesis, where the recognizable aspect and familiarity of the objects presented tend to degrade into a realm of mysticism - and it dawns on you that you are losing your sense of orientation. Often the works have a philosophical twist, reaching into the sphere of contemporary phenomenological research on perception and knowledge.

Magnus Thierfelder
Gallery Christina Wilson, Sturlasgade 12H, 2300 København S
Opening Friday, February 15th, 5-7 pm

Sophie Dupont: Entrance I, 2008. Oil on canvas, 125 x 160 cm

The exhibition Ingen Hjemme at Beaver Projects is the first solo exhibition by Sophie Dupont since her graduation from The Royal Danish Art Academy in 2007. The show presents new paintings and ceramic works. The paintings depict flat, almost dissolved, spaces that are put into play by varied artistic elements. The formal tension is substantiated by the scenarios unfolding in the works. The figures in each picture are turned towards the viewer and despite being 'frozen' in time and space they insist on communicating. Theatrically staged and containing a pent-up psychological suspense Dupont's paintings are both delicate and powerful.

Sophie Dupont: Ingen Hjemme (Nobody In)
Beaver Projects, Strandlodsvej 15, 2300 København S
Opening Friday, February 15th, 5-8 pm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WE RECOMMEND:

Arne Jacobsen Lounge at the shopping mall Fields is the setting for a series of six exhibitions trying to initiate a dialogue between the media images of everyday life and the experimental part of the contemporary art scene. The exhibitions are curated by the young Danish artists Birgitte Støvring & Camilla Thorup. Second show is a presentation of works by the Danish-Icelandic artist trio Ingen Frygt (No Fear). Ingen Frygt, that have received considerable recognition for their music videos, have created a series of collages that in a humorous way relate to the tempting pictures of our media culture. The trio also exhibits a range of suggestive self-portraits and in doing so orchestrates the connection between everyday life and dreams of stardom.

Ingen Frygt - Hannah Heilmann, Anna Maria Helgadottir & Sigrun Gudbrandsdottir
Arne Jacobsen Lounge, Fields, Arne Jacobsens Allé 12, 2300 København S.
February 8 - April 3, 2008

Mia Lerssi: Hunger, 2007. Glass, plastic, metal, wood and sheeting, 90 x 23 cm

Mia Lerssi's work is strongly connected to pop culture. Her objects contain clashes between the highly esteemed work of (glass) art and the low cultural artefact. The works are skillfully articulated, combining accurate design and finish with a world of nonsense.The objects might look silly, but nonetheless make sense. The current exhibition at Drud & Køppe reads like a crime scene and like detectives we are trying to fit the pieces together as we go along. But what should we really make of the three deflated glass balloons engraved with the words 'idiots', 'lovers' and 'caramels'? Not to mention the over-sized clown's noses lined with red glitter? Make up your own mind...

Mia Lerssi: Heart of Glass
Drud og Køppe, Bredgade 66, 1260 København K
February 14 - March 15, 2008

Svend-Allan Sørensen: Anarkisten (The Anarchist)

Overgaden is currently showing two exhibitions: Does Living With Birds Enhance My Life? by Svend-Allan Sørensen and Unbreakable Space by Johanna Domke. Through curious repetitions of birds, colours and political statements Sørensen examines words, motive and meaning. Offhand the words seem disjointed but running a search on the internet demonstrate that they are in fact all interconnected. Everything is linked - and so Sørensen's work evokes recognition. Domke's large video installations present staged set-ups and documentary-like footage of actual situations. Looking closely at individual and collective patterns of action in public spaces Domke creates intensified still pictures with a life of their own.

Svend-Allan Sørensen: Does Living With Birds Enhance My Life? & Johanna Domke: Unbreakable Space
Overgaden - Institute of Contemporary Art, Overgaden Neden Vandet 17, 1414 København K
February 9 - April 6, 2008

Johanna Domke: Unbreakable Space, 2007. Installation shot

Galerie Mikael Andersen is presenting the first solo show in Denmark by Bosnian artist Danika Dakic. Dakic exhibited at Documenta 12 (2007) and now a Danish audience get a chance to see her project El Dorado that was realised in Kassel. El Dorado is the legendary destination of many an expedition in pursuit of an undiscovered paradise and unbounded wealth. A panoramic wallpaper from 1848, exhibited at Kassel's German Museum of Wallpaper, provides the backdrop for stories recounted by teenagers from e.g. the Hephata home for unaccompanied minor refugees. The youngsters project themselves into its deserted landscape and speak of escape and expulsion, of hopes and fears, thereby populating the surface with narratives of the search for self, of courage and beauty.

Danica Dakic: El Dorado
Galerie Mikael Andersen, Bredgade 63, 1260 København K
February 8 - March 26, 2008

Kopenhagen Art News #6

2008-02-21T13:47:00Z

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

Yang Zhenzhong: *Light as ***, 2002*

It is quite a scoop for Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center, to be able to present three spectacular video works by the internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Yang Zhenzhong. Zhenzhong lives and works in Shanghai - one of the most significant art centres in China - and his videos often take as their starting point the explosive economical development of the city. The main work in the exhibition - I Will Die - was presented at the Venice Biennial 2007 and consists of ten projections showing people of different nationality saying the words 'I will die'. The work thus focuses on a basic human condition and make us look beyond national and cultural differences. Zhenzhong's works have a certain poetic feel to them - but with a distinct touch of humour. They investigate the relation between the individual and the community and are a must-see.

Yang Zhenzhong
Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Nikolaj Plads 10, 1067 København K.
Opening Friday, February 22nd, 5 pm

Jesper Carlsen: No Title, Københavns Kunsthal, 2006

On Friday Factory of Art and Design in Amager opens a new art project by the Copenhagen based artist Jesper Carlsen. Carlsen works in different media such as animation, video, sound and installation but a common denominator is the unfolding and subsequent deconstruction of the conceptual and iconographic frame of the work. With his Untitled Sculpture for the Factory Showroom Carlsen will fold out the eight walls constituting the 'white cube'-exhibition space. The walls will be painted alternately black and white to produce a scale format which is comparable to a huge tape measure. This subtle intervention should be seen in relation to the changeable and process-oriented rhythm of the factory hall and the many studios located in the building.

Jesper Carlsen: Untitled Sculpture
Fabrikken for Kunst og Design / Produktionshallen, Sundholmsvej 46, 2300 København S
Opening Friday, February 22nd, 5-8 pm (with soup)

Ellinor Forsberg, fra serie præsenteret på Charlottenborgs Forårsudstilling, 2007

The shopping centre Waterfront in Hellerup, just north of Copenhagen, opened in September, 2007, and besides exclusive fashion by a.o. Paul Smith and Henrik Vibskov Waterfront also presents contemporary art. The design store Milk has created a vertical exhibition space - Milk Wall - that shows mainly experimental photographic art works, and the upcoming exhibition Willingness to Bend is a presentation of fluid fantasies and frozen forms by ten Scandiavian video artists and art photographers. They all examine the ideas of 'flow' and 'fluidity', of capturing and securing a motive or dissolving it and finding new forms.

'Fluidity' suggests a will to take shape or bend according to your surroundings but also a tendency to drift away if no one takes control. The photography freezes time and movement but due to its one-eyed perspective it also creates and organizes different spaces and makes a specific dynamic and flow visible that usually remain hidden in the haste of our daily lives. The exhibition is the result of a coorporation between Milk Contemporary, Spark Gallery and Senko Studio in Viborg - a non-profit forum for communication.

Willingness to Bend: Ellinor Forsberg, Kirstine Autzen, Lotte Fløe Christensen, Miska Knapek, Simon Bue Schrøder, Giles Gilbert, Kristina Bengtsson, Mette Juul Søndergaard, Sergei Sviatchenko & Tobias Toyberg
Milk Wall, Milk Contemporary, Waterfront Shopping, Tuborg Havnevej 4-8, 2900 Hellerup
Opening Saturday, February 23rd, 2-4 pm

Mie Mørkeberg: Untitled, 2007

The fabulative and figurative painting has received a lot of attention in recent years and now Ringsted Galleriet is exhibiting works by three of its most talented exponents: Mie Mørkeberg, Martha Kramær og Tommy Petersen. Instead of the usual focus on narratives and mode of expression the gallery has chosen to investigate the different ways in which the three artists construct spaces. This should be interesting so don't miss it!

Martha Kramær, Mie Mørkeberg & Tommy Petersen
Ringsted Galleriet, Bøllingsvej 15, 4100 Ringsted
Opening Saturday, February 23rd, 1-3 pm

--------------------------------------------------------------

WE RECOMMEND:

Co-Lab is run by art historian Marie Kirkegaard and artist Jon Stahn and its international and bold exhibition profile makes it one of the most interesting galleries in town. Co-Lab is currently showing the exhibition LOFTNET by the Icelandic artists Margrét H. Blöndal, Rádhildur Ingadóttir og Tumi Magnússon. All three artists work site specifically and try to widen both our mental and physical perception of space. Go see it!

LOFTNET: Margrét H. Blöndal, Rádhildur Ingadóttir & Tumi Magnússon
Co-Lab, Nørre Søgade 17, basement, 1370 København K
February 9th - March 9th, 2008

Randi & Katrine, Gl. Strand, 2008

Randi & Katrine are among the most sensational young Danish artists of today. They have asserted themselves both in Denmark and abroad with their romantic installations and sculptures that often unfold as scenographical narratives. Randi & Katrine are deeply fascinated by houses both as settings for day-to-day living and as reflections of the lives being led inside. Their current exhibition at Gl. Strand presents two huge sculptures shaped as houses but at the same time resembling human faces. Based on the idea of carnival and masking the artists allow us to experience not only a facade but also an inner life.

Randi & Katrine
Gl. Strand, Gammel Strand 48, 1202 København K.
February 9th - May 4th, 2008

Petar Mirkovic: (from series) Movie Board, 2004

For the group exhibition FOR A HAPPIER TOMORROW at Gallery Tom Christoffersen artist Alexandra Croitoru has selected a range of photography and video works from Central-Eastern Europe. The works reflect the relations set up by artists between themselves and the public sphere - especially by performing interventions in the urban space. In their own different ways the artists challenge reality or create an alternative one as they show a critical but at the same time ironical and playful attitude to their social surroundings.

FOR A HAPPIER TOMORROW: Anca Benera, Kamen Stoyanov, Adela Demetja, Daniel Gontz, Kristina Lenard, Petar Mirkovic, Ivan Petrovic, Marek Kvetan & Erik Sikora
Gallery Tom Christoffersen, Skindergade 5, 1158 København K
February 15th - March 15th, 2008

Frans Jacobi: Is Another Society Possible?, 2008

From January 18th - May 1st the curators Pulsk Ravn and Mette Kit Jensen have converted the small showroom RACA at Gammel Kongevej into BRoOom! - a project space presenting both exhibitions and lectures, events and performances. Artists working specifically with the public space are invited to present their ideas at BroOom! thus establishing a forum for discussion of performative, conceptual, social, site specific and political art practices. Frans Jacobi has created a tiny, secret theatre for BroOom! which is closed off to the public and instantly excites the curiosity of the 'spectator'. A note on the door announces:

Anarchistic Late Night Entertainment
Magical Theatre
(only for the crazy)
Now playing: 'Is Another Society Possible?'

The first three lines are an extract from the novel Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse whose thoughts on community and tolerance won him cult status during the youth revolution in the 60s. The exhibition that is only visible from the street shows different 'props' alluding to riots and upheavals: a black banner, a purple flag and a milk case filled with cobblestones. In the night a light show gives the impression that something dramatic is going on in the room behind the specially hung curtain. Jacobi points to the extreme culture of demonstrations that have become part of our daily lives in the form of street fights and vandalism. He presents the demonstration both as an exclusive theatre play and as the magical dream of a new society worth fighting for.

Frans Jacobi: Is Another Society Possible?
BroOom! Exhibition II
RACA, Gl. Kongevej 37, 1610 København V
February 15th - 24th, 2008

Kopenhagen Art News #7

2008-02-28T16:43:00Z

JOIN US AT THESE OPENINGS:

Martin Askholm, 2008

Crepuscolo is the Italian word for twilight and a sinister atmosphere is bound to spread when Martin Askholm and Claus Handgaard present their images of graveyard monuments, and the fights & failures of everyday life, respectively. Askholm is a taphophile - that is a non-morbid lover of funerals, graves and cemeteries. His paintings reflect the passage of life and remind us of ultimate human decay. Handgaard is a bit more on the lighter side: his graphic works point to the complexity of the world around us and our tragicomic struggle to try to sort out all the information we receive every day. Askholm & Handgaard are best known for their pop art expression and cartoon-like imagery, but in this exhibtion the art historical frame of reference is widened to include Scandinavian artists like Nicolai Abildgaard, Edvard Munch and J.F. Willumsen. The exhibition at Gallery Sonne is definitely worth a visit but may take nerves of steel.

Martin Askholm & Claus Handgaard: Crepuscolo
Galleri Sonne, Vesterbrogade 175, 1800 Frederiksberg C.
Opening Friday, February 29th, 5-8 pm

Eva Steen Christensen: Beginning of the garden, 2008

Eva Steen Christensen is a divine creator of space, both in media, motifs or physically. She primarily investigates and exposes the space we do not feel or experience - in this case the nooks and corners of roots and ramifications. In simple cross sections she not only introduces us to the constantly changing, unpredictable nature but also to the order, mathematics and pre-set patterns for organic growth. Her latest works presented at Gallery Specta can thus be seen as images of a human ability to think rationally combined with behaviour based on emotions.

Eva Steen Christensen: Beginning of the Garden
Galleri Specta, Peder Skrams Gade 13, 1054 København K.
Opening Friday, February 29th, 5-7 pm

Street art by Kissmama

You may have seen her charactistic little figures in the townscape. Messengers of different mould, trying to galvanise the quotidian consumer and question the norms of society. The artist behind calls herself Kissmama and is one of the most active street artists in Copenhagen. Her stated objective is to make people stop thinking about bank loans, shopping lists and 'Strictly Come Dancing' for a while and look more closely at the world around them. Her messages - written on the stomachs of her easy identifiable and thickly outlined characters - are e.g. 'The world needs strong men', 'Fat guys write fat checks', 'Life is such an act', 'Driving beats walking' and 'I *** on first dates'. Don't miss her first solo exhibition Udtrykinde (Expressioninside) at Rumkammerat!

Kissmama: Udtrykinde
Rumkammerat, Julius Thomsens Gade 14b, 1632 København V
Opening Friday, February 29th, 5-9 pm (with beer and music)

Malene Jorck Heide-Jørgensen: Ekko, 2008

Malene Jorck Heide-Jørgensen has a BA in photography from The Glasgow School of Art, and EKKO is her first solo show in Copenhagen. In this exhibition Heide-Jørgensen takes a look at a maritime universe represented by the fishery in the North Sea and the challenges posed by sustainable fishing. The fundamental basis of the works is a number of sails on board a 62 m long trawler searching for herring. Only woman among nine men and in all weathers Heide-Jørgensen has depicted the unpredictability of life in the open sea. In addition to her renderings of the 21st Century fishing trade Heide-Jørgensen will also show various silent films concerned with the fishing profession. The screening will take place March 8th at 7 pm at Copenhagen Live and can be seen until March 16th. Copenhagen Live is an association focusing on alternative and original projects cutting across cultural genres. Since 1998 Copenhagen Live has arranged oceans of concerts, lectures, DJ gatherings, photo shows and international exchange collaborations.

Malene Jorck Heide-Jørgensen: EKKO
Copenhagen Live, Haderslevgade 24, st.th., 1671 København V
Opening Friday, February 29th, 5-8 pm (the exhibition only runs until March 2nd)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WE RECOMMEND:

Charlotte & Sture Johannesson: The Digital Theatre: Ahmed Shah Massoud 1983, Björn Borg 1983, Boy George 1983

The exhibition Radical Software at Den Frie surveys the connections between art, media technology and different left-wing political projects from the 60's till today. The field includes video communes, free universities, artistic investigations of computer technology, street theatre companys and experimental documentaries. The different projects help elucidate the phenomenon of 'open source' and its history. The 'open source' culture or movement of 'free culture' covers initiatives all over the globe - initiatives that try to redefine our understanding of subjects like the digital domain, intellectual rights and copyright. Radical Software shows how these initiatives are based on the lifestyle experiments of the 60's and 70's and the alternative approach of this period to the possibilities of new technological mediums.

Radical Software: Ant Farm, Amy Balkin, Community Memory, Det Fri Universitet, Dean & Dudley Evenson, The Diggers, Charlotte & Sture Johannesson, Ferdinand Kriwet, Learning Site, Sarah Lewison & Erin McGonigle, Malmö Fria Kvinnouniversitet, National Center for Experiments in Television, Josh On, Raindance Corporation, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Solvognen, Superflex, Swop Network, tv-tv, University of Openess, VideoFreex
Den Frie, Oslo Plads, 2100 København Ø.
February 9 - March 9, 2008

Randi & Katrine: The House in your Head, 2008

Randi & Katrine
Gl. Strand, Gammel Strand 48, 1202 København K.
February 9 - May 4, 2008

Mia Lerssi: Nose Droppings, 2008

Mia Lerssi's work is strongly influenced by pop culture. Her objects contain clashes between the highly esteemed work of (glass) art and the low cultural artefact. The works are skillfully articulated, combining accurate design and finish with a world of 'nonsense'.The objects seem silly, but nonetheless make sense. The current exhibition at Drud & Køppe looks like the leftovers from a birthday party but underneath the banal statements lurks a sense of frustration and shattered illusions. The ideal, girlish fairytale is turned into a non-substantial image and the dream is deflated. But it it an ill wind that blows no good. Finally we are set free to see things for what they really are - and take charge of our own lives.

Mia Lerssi: Heart of Glass
Drud og Køppe, Bredgade 66, 1260 København K
February 14 - March 15, 2008

Yang Zhenzhong: *Light as ***, 2002*

Yang Zhenzhong
Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Nikolaj Plads 10, 1067 København K.
February 23 - May 12, 2008

Kopenhagen

Kopenhagen Art News #1

Jens Haaning, DANMARK, 2008 (part of the exhibition Danskjävlar)

Ann Lislegaard, Work in Progress (after Ursula K. Le Guin), 2008

Kopenhagen Art News #2

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Gallery Nicolai Wallner)

Tal R, Jeg dræbte en pædagog, 2007 (part of the exhibition Danskjävler)

Kopenhagen Art News #3

Christian Finne, Obscurepocketphilosophy, 2008 (Galleri Christoffer Egelund)

Candice Breitz, Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon), 2006 (Louisiana)

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Galleri Nicolai Wallner)

Michael Norre, Portræt af Ulla, 2007 (Beaver Projects)

Kopenhagen Art News #4

Randi & Katrine, Fabricated Garden, 2005 (Courtesy MOGADISHNI CPH, Photo: Anders Sune Berg)

Ivan Andersen, E-45, 2008 (Galleri Bo Bjerggaard)

Vibe Bredahl, Pun Birds (Installation view, Galleri Tom Christoffersen, 2005)

Radical Software (Den Frie)

Pernille Kapper Williams

Candice Breitz, Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon), 2006 (Louisiana)

Joachim Koester, Tarantism, 2007 (Galleri Nicolai Wallner)

Christian Finne, Central Head Machine, 2008 (Galleri Christoffer Egelund)

Kopenhagen Art News #5

HUSKMITNAVN

Kristina Lenard: Metro, 2007, C-print, 82 x 123 cm

Magnus Thierfelder: A Tension, cables, electrical outlets. Galerie von Bartha Contemporary, Basel, 2007

Sophie Dupont: Entrance I, 2008. Oil on canvas, 125 x 160 cm

Mia Lerssi: Hunger, 2007. Glass, plastic, metal, wood and sheeting, 90 x 23 cm

Svend-Allan Sørensen: Anarkisten (The Anarchist)

Johanna Domke: Unbreakable Space, 2007. Installation shot

Kopenhagen Art News #6

Yang Zhenzhong: Light as ***, 2002

Jesper Carlsen: No Title, Københavns Kunsthal, 2006

Ellinor Forsberg, fra serie præsenteret på Charlottenborgs Forårsudstilling, 2007

Mie Mørkeberg: Untitled, 2007

Randi & Katrine, Gl. Strand, 2008

Petar Mirkovic: (from series) Movie Board, 2004

Frans Jacobi: Is Another Society Possible?, 2008

Kopenhagen Art News #7

Martin Askholm, 2008

Eva Steen Christensen: Beginning of the garden, 2008

Street art by Kissmama

Malene Jorck Heide-Jørgensen: Ekko, 2008

Charlotte & Sture Johannesson: The Digital Theatre: Ahmed Shah Massoud 1983, Björn Borg 1983, Boy George 1983

Randi & Katrine: The House in your Head, 2008

Mia Lerssi: Nose Droppings, 2008

Yang Zhenzhong: Light as ***, 2002

Yang Zhenzhong: *Light as ***, 2002*

Yang Zhenzhong: *Light as ***, 2002*