“We work on trying to separate our work from our personal lives. Nowadays, I have a much stronger need to simply tune out, and then we go to our house in the woods. Before, when we would go, I would have checked my emails in secret, but I don’t have that need anymore. I realised that sometimes a complete escape is necessary to come back with new, inspiring ideas.”
“What I love about Copenhagen Contemporary is that the organisation is very flexible, which means that we can quickly react on any new ideas. We want to create an informal environment around art and make the scene more urban. I don’t have the patience for the inner workings of big, classic institutions, although I love visiting them myself.” Marie Nipper spent part of her childhood and some years after high school in Paris – a city, which she regards as her second home. “It’s rather that romantic idea of living in Paris, though I’m not certain it would be convenient,” Marie laughingly admits. The many hours she spent in the sacred halls of the Louvre have left lasting impressions, but her view on art is not classic, per se. Everywhere in their house, there are artworks – some even signed works gifted by artists she worked with. But not everything you see is art at first sight. In the window sill, you find a sculpture by Tony Matelli – two cans on top of each other, with a few playing cards and a single French fry; the cards and the fry are made of bronze, one of the finest materials in the world. To its left, lies a 1:1 copy of a frozen chicken made in ceramics, which Marie bought at a student art fair. “Art is all that beyond everyday routines. It is that which awakens something within us; a place we meet an echo of something inside ourselves – whether it has emotional dimensions or becomes relevant through its societal discourse. I like the things that annoy me or the things with which I instantly fall in love. Much of what hangs on our walls is a bit weird. I definitely don’t have a beauty criterion,” Marie says. THIS IS NOT AN ART SHOW Art, work, children – life. Everything is interwoven and has been so for years. Though now they’re each working their job, Simon and Marie joined forces on both fronts long ago. Recently, they founded the art book publishing house, Roulette Russe together. Marie tells: “If you look at it from a strict business perspective, it’s not a great idea. But there is something about the medium of books I would like to insist on. The book remains of utmost importance, not least to the artists, since a book outlives any gallery show.” Naturally, work takes up a lot of time and space: “We talk a lot about it at home. Since both of us come from different backgrounds, we complement each other well. Fortunately, we also get to travel together and bring the kids,” Marie says. Although in recent years, she has learned to let go and appreciate the importance of getting away from everything – even if only for a little while:
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