Introduction

Hereby, Stalke is introduced, a gallery project with an international perspective.

From the outset, the gallery collaborates with a permanent core of six artists who, over the recent years, have played a significant role in the progressive segment of Danish (and international) art. These six artists are: Thomas Bang, Torben Ebbesen, Henrik Have, Thorbjørn Lausten, Mogens Møller, and Margrethe Sørensen. Additionally, Osmund Hansen, who made a significant comeback in Danish art two years ago, is also part of the gallery’s featured artists. Over the next 18 months, these artists will be presented at the gallery in both solo exhibitions and group shows.

In addition to the aforementioned artists, exhibitions by internationally renowned artists will also be featured in collaboration with various foreign galleries. Occasionally, exhibitions by Scandinavian artists will complement the gallery’s core team.

Stalke is a new creation in the Danish gallery scene, having established an international collaboration from the outset with artists, galleries, and journals in the USA, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Scandinavia. This collaboration aims to exhibit the gallery's Danish artists abroad and present international artists in Copenhagen.

The gallery’s exhibitions will be supplemented by two publication series: "NOTE," which will feature art-theoretical contributions by the artists or art mediators, and "NEWSLETTER," which will include current information about the gallery's artists.

The Stalke Gallery project encompasses:

• Stalke Galleri, Admiral Gade 22
• Stalke Project, Nørregade 7C

We open on Saturday, October 3, with exhibitions by:
Michael Goldberg at Stalke Galleri
Thorbjørn Lausten at Stalke Project

Joachim Rothenborg and Sam Jedig

Reviews

Thomas Bang Leaves Asbæk

New gallery attracts avant-garde's top names.

By Torben Weirup

The Danish-American internationally acclaimed visual artist Thomas Bang is leaving Galerie Asbæk in favor of the soon-to-be-opened double gallery, Stalke and Stalke Project.

Thomas Bang emphasizes to KUNSTAVISEN that the decision to leave Asbæk, a gallery he has been affiliated with in Copenhagen since 1984, is dramatic but without any hard feelings. He says:
"I am joining Stalke because it seems more exciting and promising, offering the gallery’s international ambitions and interests that go beyond the ordinary."

Thomas Bang has previously highlighted how Asbæk's beautiful spaces perfectly suited his work. His most recent exhibition there was held late last year.

Others on the Way

Thomas Bang is not the only artist who has been attracted to Stalke’s new style and international connections. When the gallery opens on October 3rd, it will be marked with a significant exhibition by Thorbjørn Lausten at Stalke Project—simultaneously with an appearance by American painter Michael Goldberg, who is expected to personally participate in the opening at Stalke Gallery on the same day.

Goldberg’s exhibition is part of Stalke’s exchange with American galleries. He may not be an unfamiliar name to Danish audiences, but the circumstances of this collaboration ensure that both his name and his status as a significant figure in American art are reinforced.

Several upcoming exhibitions—both domestically and internationally—are planned for artists like Torben Ebbesen and Henrik Have. According to KUNSTAVISEN, many top names in the avant-garde scene are heading toward Stalke.

Cultural Export

Exchange seems to be a central concept in Stalke’s vision. Michael Goldberg and later Jean-Francois Octave are results of this approach, and, in turn, this means Stalke can present Torben Ebbesen at the Chicago Art Fair and the Alexander Wood Gallery in New York next May. This presentation of Torben Ebbesen abroad also extends to Belgium, Switzerland, West Germany, and Japan.

Joachim Rothenborg, who will oversee Torben Ebbesen’s exhibitions, emphasizes to KUNSTAVISEN that Ebbesen is an artist of such caliber that he can serve as a role model for Danish artists in private and likely in publicly supported cultural exchange in the surrounding area.

White Light

As already mentioned, Stalke Projects will open with an exhibition by Thorbjørn Lausten, who has created a series of entirely new installations for the occasion.

According to the newsletter about Stalke’s activities, the exhibition in Nørregade will include light installations up to six meters long, as well as smaller works, all of which explore the artistic potential of light. A series of drawings will also be displayed, corresponding to the sculptural works.

About his distinctive use of light, Lausten explains in the newsletter:
"Some uses are deliberate, others unconscious. Light, if we take the term to its logical conclusion, plays a large role in the connection between energy and matter. Light is visual energy. It has played a significant role in industrial, religious, and cultural-historical contexts—much greater than we have recognized so far."

Familiar Names

Stalke and Stalke Project will open in locations well known in Copenhagen's exhibition scene—and among those associated with it. Stalke Gallery will occupy the former premises of Galleri Jedi in Admiralgade, while Stalke Project will be located in the fascinating rooms that once housed Galleri Nørregade and later Galleri Sub-Set.

Among those behind the initiative are Sam Jedig, who owns half of the new gallery initiative, and artist Joachim Rothenborg, who will oversee the artistic direction and has particularly cultivated international contacts. Behind the scenes—and as a trusted guarantee for exhibition policies—you’ll also find North Magazine editor Bent Petersen.

Joachim Rothenborg will also contribute academically to Torben Ebbesen’s exhibitions. Together with his team, he will shape Stalke and Stalke Project’s offerings. When asked about the cryptic name "Stalke," it is explained that it was inspired by the late Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, whose work, including the film Stalker, greatly fascinated the younger Danish art scene. However, the name "Stalke" was also chosen after a Danish family with the same name declined to lend their name to the gallery. Hence, “Stalke.”

What Happened to Galleri Jedig?

But what became of Sam Jedig’s reorganization? Galleri Jedig, which has funded several avant-garde exhibitions in recent years, is now defunct. However, it often—and deservedly—received criticism for hosting too many poor exhibitions. As a result, it was largely boycotted by artists without much inconvenience to them.

Sam Jedig will now move his operations into new premises, where his main focus will no longer be Galleri Jedig Kunsthandel. In connection with this move, approximately 40 former exhibitors have been sorted out—hopefully the right ones—and the gallery will now feature three-week exhibition periods. Additionally, the gallery will cease covering its own expenses and adopt a fairer policy: charging artists a 50% commission on sales, following an “international” model.

This approach, often used in Danish galleries, provides a more transparent and equitable structure. The advantage for artists is clear, as it forces gallery owners to align themselves more openly with the quality of the works they represent. KUNSTAVISEN plans to explore the pros and cons of this professional gallery model in future articles.

Stalke Gallery and Stalke Project Aim to Elevate Danish and International Art

By Peter Michael Hornung

A new gallery wouldn’t usually make headlines unless it was as streamlined and well-organized as Stalke. In fact, it’s not just one gallery but two: Stalke Gallery on Admiralgade 22, offering more intimate exhibitions like the upcoming one by Belgian painter Jean-François Octave, and Stalke Project on Nørregade 7C, which accommodates larger-scale works, such as installations by minimalist light artist Thorbjørn Lausten, currently occupying the former Gallery Nørregade.

“Regardless of Stalke’s international ambitions, the gallery is built around six artists,” says Stalke’s leader and initiator, Joachim Rothenborg. “And we won’t add more permanent members. That number must remain low so we can do everything for them.”

The six artists, besides Lausten, are Torben Ebbesen, Margrete Sørensen, Mogens Møller, Henrik Have, and Thomas Bang, all project-oriented and material-conscious visual artists. As a seventh member, the veteran painter Osmund Hansen, known for his lyrical constructivist style, joins the group.

The gallery’s limited membership is one noteworthy feature. Another is its streamlined administrative structure, ensuring clear role delegation. Joachim Rothenborg, a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, acts as the gallery’s ambassador, traveling to establish international connections and arrange exhibitions for the seven artists. “It’s also important to travel to gain new inspiration.”

Rothenborg has partnered with Sam Jedig, who, like him, has a background as an artist. Jedig has six years of experience in Copenhagen’s gallery scene, managing galleries in Øster Allé, Admiralgade, and Nørregade. Jedig continues to operate his own gallery alongside Stalke, where he now focuses on fewer, more consistent exhibitors after years of varied shows.

Streamlined Ambitions

The gallery employs Lone Thomsen, originally an occupational therapist fluent in English, to manage artist data on their newly leased computer. “There isn’t a gallery in the USA or Germany that doesn’t have a computer,” Rothenborg remarks. “You have to stay checked and professional to make it internationally.”

To maintain its identity, Stalke has enlisted designer Maria Elsker, ensuring all gallery materials reflect a consistent visual style. These include "NOTE," a designed newsletter offering biographical information and interviews with artists, and a client-focused "Newsletter" that announces milestones like Thorbjørn Lausten’s 1987/88 fellowship at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston or Margrete Sørensen’s representation of Denmark at the 19th São Paulo Art Biennale. The historical content is curated by student Hanne Kolind Poulsen, known for her work on the Albert Mertz exhibition at the Royal Collection of Prints and Drawings. Art collector and "North" magazine editor Bent Pedersen also contributes as a communications consultant, alongside marketing specialist Uffe Egkvist.

Rothenborg is confident the effort will pay off. “There’s a much livelier interest abroad in the art we present. Especially in New York, Constructivism and Minimalism—styles emphasizing reduced expression—are flourishing again. Meanwhile, Danish artists face rock-bottom prices here at home due to a lack of domestic appreciation for Minimalism compared to Neo-Expressionism. Danes often have an unintellectual perception of art,” adds Thorbjørn Lausten.

Stalke aims to challenge this perception. Whether it succeeds remains to be seen.

STALKE GALLERI - ENGLERUPVEJ 62 - 4060 - KIRKE SAABY - DENMARK - PHONE: +45 2926 - 7433

CONTACT:  STALKE@STALKE.DK

OPEN BY APPOINTMENT