Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Culture Special
The art of our time In the 1970s, the art scene in Tistrup, Denmark was budding, and a group of pioneering young art enthusiasts were making the most of it. They started to buy art from artists of the time and eventually set up a museum: Janus – Vestjyllands Kunstmusem (West Jutland’s Art Museum). Janus is today known for its collection of contemporary Danish art, which it has collected organically since the ‘70s through working with different artists. “We’ve always worked closely with the people who have exhibited their work at Janus. We work with new as well as established artists and want to always have something that’s exciting for our visitors to see,” explains Bjarke Regn Svendsen, artist and former artistic director of Janus. Outside of its own collection of over 5,000 pieces of art, the museum also puts on special exhibitions throughout the year, displaying a wide range of art. One of the biggest exhibitions is the censored summer exhibition, in which artists are picked
by a committee to be exhibited at Janus. “This exhibition is often a stepping stone for new artists, and always very exciting to visit as it’s truly the next generation of artists on show,” says Svendsen.
By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Janus
Janus has become home to many of Denmark’s modern artists. The museum itself can be found in Tistrup in a building built solely for this purpose. With big rooms as well as a library dedicated to art, the museum is sure to be a good day out both for art connoisseurs and those looking to explore the many facets of Danish art. Web: www.janusbygningen.dk
Art for the people in idyllic surroundings Located right by the beautiful and idyllic Damhusengen in Copenhagen, Heerup Museum could not wish for better surroundings to showcase Henry Heerup’s beloved paintings. This summer, you can experience the highlights of Heerup’s art in the exhibition Summer all year. By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Heerup Museum
Henry Heerup is one of Denmark’s most cherished artists. He created art for the people, and he was always playful with everything he created. He loved nature, people and his family, which shines through in every painting. “Heerup didn’t make art for the selected few. He made art for the people. His paintings portray motifs from our everyday lives: families, a mother with her child, people in love, a child with a kitten. People can relate to his paintings, and they see themselves in his art,” says Anni Lave Nielsen, director at Heerup Museum.
Fairy tales and summer One of Heerup’s biggest inspirations was the beloved Danish fairy-tale writer H.C. Andersen. When Heerup lived in Nørrebro in 38 | Issue 113 | June 2018
Copenhagen, he could practically see H.C. Andersen’s grave, and each year, Heerup celebrated the writer’s birthday. “He almost saw H.C. Andersen as a hero, and he was very inspired by all the fairy tales and the playfulness,” Nielsen explains. This summer, you can experience all of Heerup’s highlights when the museum opens the exhibition Sommer hele året (Summer all year). “It’s a way of showing
people that summer can stay with them all year. You can keep the feeling of summer in your heart and mind,” says Nielsen. After exploring the paintings, you can enjoy an ice cream or a cup of coffee outside, or take a stroll through Damhusengen. Web: www.heerup.dk