PRESS RELEASE

Galleri Kirke Sonnerup presents

"Gathering flowers for a delicate girl"

an exhibition with new works by Nikolaj Recke.

In 2002, Nikolaj Recke traveled to the Malaysian rainforest to observe one of nature's countless wonders: the fireflies' mating dance. The dance takes place as the male fireflies sit in their thousands in a tree by the riverbank, and as soon as a single female flies past, they begin blinking synchronously to attract her. Recke has documented this phenomenon in the video Dialogue II, in which he attempts to "talk" with or seduce the fireflies using a lighter.

The play of light is also the central element in the exhibition's third video, Lunatic. Through a large telescope mounted in the observatory, Recke has filmed close-ups of a full moon, which he projects onto one of the gallery walls, so the room is enveloped in a mysterious glow that either allows the werewolf or love’s eye to appear in the viewer.

Like many of Recke's earlier works, the three new video installations are characterized by minimalistic sensibility and a humorous, romantic undertone. At the same time, they continue his exploration of the world as a place for unfiltered communication and artistic reflection.

The exhibition also features a series of new computer drawings by Nikolaj Recke. The drawings’ motifs are of Recke's artist colleagues, evening reflections in a pool of water (Perfect Day series), and fictional flowers such as the world's largest flower Rafflesia arnoldii and Tobacco Rose, a love declaration to cigarettes.

Sam Jedig and Kim Bendixen

Computer Fireflies

Drawings, unique films, and images featuring Malaysian fireflies are exhibited at Galleri Kirke Sonnerup.

Kirke Sonnerup: The 33-year-old artist Nikolaj Recke has a fascination with fireflies and computer images. This is evident in the exhibition that opened last Saturday at Galleri Kirke Sonnerup.

The exhibition vibrantly showcases his enthusiasm for capturing moods and emotions in computer images, while his fascination with the synchronized mating rituals of fireflies is reflected in ultra-short video films—shot in a Malaysian rainforest last year, where he lived in the jungle for three months.

"I felt very comfortable there, as my daughter is also fascinated by fireflies' blinking lights. It’s absolutely fantastic to experience, but one can actually communicate with them using a lighter," explains the firefly artist.

Nikolaj Recke has been interested in fireflies for many years and previously filmed them in Mexico and the Philippines, although not this particular species. Synchronous fireflies are unique and live only in specific places in the world, including part of Malaysia's rainforest and a location in Sumatra. These fireflies gather in clusters in the rainforest’s tall trees and communicate through their blinking lights.

"The males blink in unison to attract a female. But fireflies also warn each other if they are captured and call for help when they’ve found food," says Nikolaj Recke.

His fascination with fireflies is so profound that he once visited a professor in Chicago, USA, who studies fireflies and their luminous patterns. The professor is even conducting experiments to place fireflies in prison cells to completely illuminate them, bombarding them with light.

"Lighting up a prison is like throwing a bomb for them. But one can actually communicate with them using a lighter," explains the firefly artist.

Nikolaj Recke graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1995, where he still resides. Today, a large banner hangs from his window, reading "No to War," a message symbolizing that if one can communicate with fireflies, one can also communicate with Saddam Hussein. "You just have to try," says the artist.

In addition to fireflies, the exhibition features a sensory room filled with moods, stories, and handmade computer images inspired by photos transferred into his computer and then digitally manipulated. "Special and exciting!"

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Dagbladet

The Dance of the Fireflies

When visual artist Nikolaj Recke opens his exhibition at Kirke Sonnerup today, visitors will encounter an exotic sight: fireflies sparkling by the thousands in the darkness of the night. Last year, Recke traveled to Malaysia to study this phenomenon—the mating dance of the fireflies. He has now created two video projections centered on this phenomenon: "Dialogue I" and "Dialogue II."

In the first, the artist attempts to communicate with the fireflies using a lighter, while the second is more of a documentary showing how the absolute darkness of the night is suddenly broken by the blinking of the fireflies—as if they were the lighthouses of the rainforest. But it’s not just about documenting a fascinating natural phenomenon. Recke’s videos should also be seen as a call for communication in a time where the very lack of it is leading the world into war.

In addition to the two mentioned videos, Nikolaj Recke also presents the video projection "Lunatic" as well as a series of computer drawings.

Politiken