One of our readings for this discussion day focused on the sinking of King Frederik’s bust from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. While we ran out of time to fully discuss this topic due to our impromptu trek across Copenhagen, I recommend reading the link to the article we read and thinking about the following quote and questions:
“The art collection represents, for Danish culture, a centrally common artistic reservoir of historical knowledge about the artistic expression and meanings of changing times…if we try to erase the past, by e.g. destroying its art, we find it only more difficult to understand it and thus also to learn from it” -The Academy Council
- Do you think in the age of the internet that this is true? Or is this a fearful hold onto the way things are by those in higher stations of prestige?
From the University we made our way to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where we met activist and artist Barly Ihirba Tshibanda. Who told us his story and showed us his most recent work (pictured on the left of the above picture). During this time, we came to better understand how borders are a part of modern colonization. By this we mean that as humans are a part of nature, we are not meant to be stagnant, static beings. Rather we move like water – inevitably. The force of stagnation in certain areas, particularly African countries, there is a containment of peoples that perpetuates colonization as a thing of the present. Barly’s work centered around the theme of water – how it invokes the inevitability of nature to do as it will, but also the memories it holds – those remembered and forgotten. He repeatedly says in his visual art that “The Waters Always Remember.” While humanity may wish and try to force certain past action to slip below the sea and remain forgotten, the sea itself will never forget the deeds of those who traversed her waters.
Walking tour
After watching Barly’s piece we moved outside to experience the audio exhibit that he, Nanna Elvin, and many others helped put together. Putting history, truth, and testimonies behind some of the statues stationed around Copenhagen their exhibition Voices in the Shadow of Monuments comes to life. By following the link, readers can see pictures of the statues in question, as well as hear the audio we got to experience in the space of their presence.
“What is the function
of art, if not to challenge the present culture.”
-Morten Larsen
22.8.2023
Day two was a laid-back venture. A couple groups took the morning to
go swimming, others took time to recover from the jetlag more thoroughly.
Biking Tour with Morten
Eight brave souls followed Morten through the streets in rush hour
traffic to learn the ways of biking in Copenhagen. As it seems as though biking
is the preferred method of travel here, getting a crash course on the ‘How to
Bike in Denmark’ was integral to our remaining stay in the city.
Later that evening, we met at Holmens Church for the boat tour around Copenhagen.
Bonus picture from the dinner the night before the
program at Sasaa:
Citations
Akoi-Jackson, B., Belle, L.
V., Child, J. J., Hardenberg, J. E., James, O., Paulsen, S., Söderholm, S. S.,
Tshibanda, B., Dirckinck-Holmfeld, K., & Hansen, N. E. (2020). Voices in
the Shadows of Monument. Voices in the Shadows of Monuments – Map.
https://www.shadowsofmonuments.dk/map
Contributor, Q. (2015,
January 29). Is Scandinavian exceptionalism similar to American
exceptionalism?. Slate Magazine.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/01/scandinavian-exceptionalism-is-it-like-american-exceptionalism.html
News. Royal Danish
Academy. (2014, October 31). https://royaldanishacademy.com/news
Sinking of king frederik
V – art happening, years in prison or bit of everything. NADA PRLJA. (2020,
November 23).
https://nadaprlja.com/sinking-of-king-frederik-v-art-happening-years-in-prison-or-bit-of-everything/
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