A place in the country

Karen Havskov Jensen returned to the countryside after many years of urban living. Interested in identity and life on the periphery, she uses traditional needlecraft techniques and incorporates motifs from the local landscape into her sculptures. In his prints, installations and drawings Klavs Weiss skilfully combines ideas with exquisite craftsmanship to explore geographical boundaries, philosophical thoughts and the concept of ‘home’. After relocating from the city to a village in North Jutland, Thomas Wolsing found inspiration in his new environment. His installations and cross-stitch images of dilapidated farmhouses speak of rural decline and a growing polarization between city and country.

Jette Ellgaard grew up on a farm in West Jutland. Her videos often contain autobiographical references, focusing on the countryside of her childhood and the changes that have taken place since she moved to the city. Hartmut Stockter lives on a houseboat in Copenhagen’s docks. His eccentric and ingenious inventions explore romantic ideas of ‘Ideal Nature’ and the pastoral dream. Marianne Jørgensen lives on the outskirts of Arhus. The physicality of her work connects to the Land Art movement through such activities as cutting texts into the earth, writing with grass seed or creating explosions in her local field to highlight threats from encroaching urban development.

These works skilfully balance power and delicacy, humour and longing, providing both a sense of place and insight into the myths, ideals and realities of the Danish countryside.

This project has been made possible with support from the Arts Council of Wales, the Danish Arts Council and Wales Arts International

Tom Gilhespy performed the Cain Valley Kettle Choir in the parkland adjacent to the Gallery to celebrate the opening. more details >