Naked Men Open Spring Exhibition 2012 at Charlottenborg in Copenhagen
Exhibition period: 24 February – 6 May
Press preview: 23 February, 2-3pm
Vernissage: 23 February, 7-10pm
The Spring Exhibition is an open submission exhibition that has long been one of the highlights of the annual programme at Charlottenborg (Denmark). In 2012 the show features 70 participants from around the world, including many from Denmark and Northern Europe, as well as others from countries such as South Africa and the USA. One of the highlights will be a live performance with naked men making love to a building.
The exhibited works at The Spring Exhibition 2012 at Charlottenborg (Denmark) cover a wide variety of genres associated with art and design, and this year’s exhibition includes a notable group of works that explores the body, performance and sexuality. One such work, entitled The Humping Pact, by Dmitry Paranyushkin (RU) & Diego Agullo (ES) includes a special performance with naked men, staged on the opening night of the exhibition (see Events, below).
The jury for the 2012 exhibition also notes that a number of pieces in the show have a preoccupation with ethnicity and cultural history, while another tendency is the strong strand of sculptural work. Exemplifying both tendencies, Gilles T. Lacombe (FR) is showing a giant model of an elephant tusk that is hung like a phallus from the ceiling of Charlottenborg – a work created from the ivory of more than 4000 discarded piano keys. This monument also evokes a preoccupation with animism and history, seen in other works such as Sebastian Neubauer’s (DE) ‘do it yourself’ parody of the famous shark by Damien Hirst. The exhibition also features a large volume of video, with many works focusing on the intimate, fragile or even lonely aspects of contemporary life.
Participating artists
For the Spring Exhibition 2012 there were 715 applicants. 70 artists have been selected, including 66 first-time participants and a total of 92 works. The youngest artist was born in 1990 and the oldest in 1949. 31 artists come from Denmark, 15 from the rest of the Nordic region, 18 from other European countries, and 6 from other countries around the world. The participating artists are as follows.
Sofie Alsbo (DK), Javier Arce (ES), Claus Bjerre (DK), Tom Bogaert (JO / BE), Gitte Broeng (DK) & Mikkel Damsbo (DK), Ann Iren Buan (NO), Ben Carey (AU), Christina Schou Christensen (DK), Julie Clifforth (DK), Maria Dabow (GB), Øystein Dahlstrøm (NO), Gair Dunlop (GB), Gerhard Eckel (AT), Guðrún Einarsdóttir (IS) Pernille Feilberg (DK), Biba Fibiger (DK), Maria Franck (DK), David Gates (GB), Sara Glahn (DK), Marcie Miller Gross (US), Ásdís Gunnarsdóttir (IS), Anne Haaning (DK), Jonas Del Pin Hamilton (DK), Katrin Hanusch (DE), Kevin Hviid (DK), Jan Ijäs (FI), Björn Oskar Jönsson (DK, SE), Tali Keren (IL), Barbara Knezevic (IE), Inge Koenen (NL), Daisuke Kosugi (JP), Karen Lise Krabbe (DK), Katrine Kofoed Kristensen (DK), Gilles T. Lacombe (FR), Kristina Lindberg (SE), Nonkululeko Mabaso (ZA), Dorte Marcussen (DK), Gemma Marmalade (GB), Caroline May (GB), Anders Scrmn Meisner (DK), Elin Melberg (NO), Carin Sveistrup Mikkelsen (DK), Nenad Milcevic (DK), Salla Myllylä (FI), Sebastian Neubauer (DE), Olof Nimar (SE), Johanne Oesterwang (DK), Dimitry Paranyushkin (RU) & Diego Agulló (ES), Alexander Arnild Peitersen (DK), John K. Raustein (NO), Tom Reynolds (GB), Anna Edit Ring (NO), Sean Rogg (GB), Ida Rödén (SE), Anna Samsøe (DK), Gro Sarauw (DK), Fons Schiedon (DE), Asako Sengoku (JP), Jens Settergren (DK), Nicholas Sparre-Ulrich (DK), Kari Steihaug (NO), David Stjernholm (DK), Külli Suitso (DK), Kristine Sundahl (DK) & Kalle Jørgensen (DK), Laila Svensgaard (DK), Hanne Mago Wiklund (SE) and Erik Östensson (SE).
Jury and prizes
The Spring Exhibition is selected by a jury consisting of artists and other arts professionals from Scandinavia and beyond. The jury for 2012 consists of the artists Aleksandra Mir (PO, SE, chair) and Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (DK), the designer Henrik Vibskov (DK), the artist-architect duo Ben & Sebastian (UK-DK) and the curator Dorothée Kirch (DE).
As well as selecting the exhibitors the jury also nominated ten artists for a special jury award, the overall winner of which will be announced on the opening night during the speeches (19.30). The award comes with a cash prize of 10.000 kr. and the ten nominated artists are: Christina Schou Christensen (DK), Biba Fibiger (DK), Jan Ijäs (FI), Katrine Kofoed Kristensen (DK), Gilles T. Lacombe (FR), Nonkululeko Mabaso (ZA), Dorte Marcussen (DK), Gemma Marmalade (GB), Nicholas Sparre-Ulrich (DK) and Kari Steihaug (NO).
This year’s exhibition also features an audience award, which will be decided by public vote and which will be announced at the Spring Party on 2 May (see Events).
Events
The Humping Pact
Thursday 23.02, 20.00, Courtyard, admission free
The artists Dmitry Paranyushkin & Diego Agullo are represented in the exhibition by a video entitled The Humping Pact (2011). On the opening night they will stage a special performance related to this work, involving a group of naked men who will take over Charlottenborg’s courtyard and make love to the building. According to the artists:
"The Humping Pact is the suspended act of love towards the environment. It’s a contemplative meditation on the nature of the futile and the human need to transcend the impossible."
Discussion
Wednesday 28.03, 17.00, Lower Foyer, admission free
This special event is for all those interested in the area where art meets design, fashion and architecture. The speakers include some of the jurors of The Spring Exhibition 2012 – the designer Henrik Vibskov and the artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen.
Spring Party
Wednesday 02.05, 19 – 23.00, Lower Foyer, admission free
Come and mark the end of the Spring Exhibition 2012 – and raise a glass to all of the participants – at a special Spring Party. Reflecting the mix of genres in the exhibition, the evening features an extraordinary performance by the internationally acclaimed fashion label Moonspoon Saloon. There will be DJs and the audience award will be announced.
Organisers and supporters
The Spring Exhibition is organised by the Charlottenborg Foundation in association with Kunsthal Charlottenborg. This year’s exhibition is supported by The Danish Arts Council, Peter Lassen – Montana, Knud Højgaards Fond, Grosserer L. F. Foghts Fond, Aage & Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond and Clarion Collection Hotel Neptun. The Jury award is sponsored by Helle & Arenth Jacobsens Legat til fordel for unge kunstnere.
Press
Photos from the exhibition will be ready to download from Charlottenborg’s website from 23 February 2pm.
For press enquiries please contact Helle Bøgelund: +45 33 36 90 42 or helleh@kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk
Opening hours and admission
Tuesday to Sunday 11am-5pm, Wednesday 11am-8pm.
Adults 60 kr. / Students 40 kr. / Seniors 40 kr. / Group 40 kr.
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