Issue 13. * August 31st, 2022

Oh, it's that time of the month when all your curiosity about Copenhagen is about to get quenched 😉

We're moving towards fall, and though the city is beautiful in reddish and gold colours, we're bound to spend a little more time indoors. And what better than spending time indoors looking at great art? 

So today, we'll take a good look at some (because we can't cram them all into one issue) of the many great museum and galleries Copenhagen has to offer. 

• Let's start with the classic
• Do you know of Copenhagen Card?
• For the Contemporary taste
• Meet a Copenhagener - Superflex
• Take a deep dive in Copenhagen history

👩‍🎨

So much to do, so much little time. But fear not. We'll make sure that you'll be equipped to make all the right decisions when creating your t0-do-in-Copenhagen-list.

Foto: Mellanie Gandø

LET'S START WITH THE CLASSIC

When it comes to classical art galleries, Copenhagen has plenty to offer. From the impressive collection of Islamic art at The David Collection to the more than 2000 amazing plaster statues at The Royal Cast Collection or The Hirschsprung Collections' magnificent exhibition of Danish art from the 19th and early 20th century with some of the most evocative and moving paintings in Danish art history.

If you're looking for a special treat, you should definitely consider checking out the Sean Scully exhibitions that open at Thorvaldsen's Museum this fall. The show runs from September 2nd to march 5th 2023, so you'll have a pretty big window to catch this. 

Photo: Jens Lindhe

DO YOU KNOW OF COPENHAGEN CARD?

Okay, so now you already have a lot on your to-do list when it comes to art experiences, and hold on because we will load a lot more off on you in a minute.

One thing is how to find the time for all these cool offerings, another is of course the financial aspect of it all. If you're looking to save a bit of money on some of Copenhagen's many museums, attractions and even public transport, look no further.

Well, you should at least see if a Copenhagen Card is for you. You can read a lot more about how it works, which places you'll have free admittance for, prices, and so on at Copenhagencard.com. 

FOR THE CONTEMPORARY TASTE

The options for contemporary art experiences in Copenhagen are many. And apart from the prominent and well-known art museums, a variety of under-the-radar galleries are also more than worth a visit. Nikolaj Kunsthal is one of them. This unique modern art gallery is located inside the former church, St.Nikolaj. It is known for its exhibitions of international contemporary art and an exceptional view from the tower.

Photo: Lawrence Lek

Just a few minutes walk from Nikolajs Kunsthal, you'll find another modern art powerhouse. Gl Strand dates back to 1825 and has supported young artists through modern art exhibitions ever since.

Also, Cisternerne is important not to forget when discussing modern art experiences in Copenhagen. At the moment, you can experience Multiple Realities, an exhibition created by Chiharu Shiota, where you will enter a dreamlike parallel world. Last but not least, Den Frie, one of the oldest venues for contemporary art in Denmark and located in a beautiful wooden building in Østerbro, is always worth a visit.

SUPERFLEX

In this edition of "Meet a Copenhagener", we had the pleasure of chatting with the Danish art group SUPERFLEX, an expanding collective of humans and non-humans working with an expanding idea of art. 

SUPERFLEX has been engaged in significant public space projects since their award winning Superkilen opened in 2011. In recent years, their projects and installations have attracted a great deal of attention both at home and abroad, and we’ve been looking forward to sharing their take on Copenhagen with you. 

Foto: Lars Hestbæk

How would you describe SUPERFLEX to someone who does not know your work?

SUPERFLEX was founded in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen, and Rasmus Rosengren Nielsen. We think of ourselves as an expanded collective, and we’ve worked with a lot of collaborators, from other artists to scientists to local communities. Our work has taken the form of energy systems, beverages, sculptures, copies, hypnosis sessions, infrastructure, paintings, plant nurseries, contracts, and public spaces.

What projects are you currently working on?

We are currently working on a project which allows people to experience what it feels like to be a plankton. We are using VR technology to create the piece. We believe that a non-human perspective is enriching for the human perspective. In general, we would like to think that we are collaborating not just with each other and other humans but as a collective that now includes animals and plants. You could say that we are the greatest artist group ever, not in terms of quality but simply in numbers because most of our partners are plants and animals. 

Where can people experience you in Copenhagen?

They can visit Superkilen in Nørrebro, a park designed based on the local inhabitants’ personal stories and memories. The objects in the park were all encountered by Nørrebro’s residents in other countries where they lived or traveled and then either brought to Copenhagen or recreated. Right now, we also have work in the Copenhagen harbor, where you can swim around some of our ongoing experiments with creating architecture for fish. 

What does a perfect day in Copenhagen look like for you?

In the morning, it’s sunny, and you go for a swim in the harbor with lots of other people. Then it starts to rain, and everyone slows down. Then it stops raining, and everyone comes back out and returns to the water. Then in the evening, everyone finally understands that the main quality of Copenhagen is its relationship to the water, and to celebrate that, all the water turns into beer for the rest of the night – light beer, that is. 

Do you have a secret spot/hidden gem in Copenhagen that you would like to reveal to our readers?

I really like the JC Jacobsen garden, which recently opened. It was the private garden of the brewer Jacobsen who started Carlsberg, then it was the private garden of famous scientists, including Niels Bohr, and now it’s a public space. So it started out private and then became public – usually, it’s the other way around, but this is much better. 

TAKE A DEEP DIVE IN COPENHAGEN HISTORY

One of the places where you really get up close and personal with history is at Rosenborg Castle, which lies in the King’s Garden in the heart of Copenhagen. The main attraction at the castle is the Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia. 

Another museum with a royal twist is the Ruins under Christiansborg Palace. The Palace you see today is only the most recent structure; below lies the ruins of an older castle. Most famous for the infamous Blue tower, where the daughter of King Christian IV, Leonora Christina, was imprisoned for over 20 years. 

Ever wondered what happens to old statues and sculptures when they retire? Well, they move to The Lapidarium of Kings. The Lapidarium houses over 300 statues gathered from royal gardens, palaces and buildings, one of which is the equestrian statue from the square of the royal palace Amalienborg, which is rumoured to have cost more than the entire palace.

The history of Copenhagen is not only about the monarchy, there are also museums with a more "modern" focus. The museum of Danish Resistance is an underground museum that explores what life was like during the second world war and how the Danes fought back. 

OVER AND OUT

That's it for now. A good overview of some of the great cultural and art experiences, you'll be able to soak up this fall.

Are you new to Copenhagen Unfolded? Make sure to check out earlier issues to catch up on all things Copenhagen.

In a month or so, we'll be back with more great insights to what Copenhagen has to offer.

Anders,  Andrea, Frederik & Kasper, Copenhagen Unfolded

Copenhagen Unfolded is published by VisitCopenhagen. Our goal is to tell the world about Copenhagen and the great experiences that are to be had here. Be sure to also check out www.visitcopenhagen.com and our social channels.

This issue of Copenhagen Unfolded is put together by Kasper Syhler, Frederik Ibsing and Andrea Sonne.

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