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Collage

Poul Lillesøe, Arthur Köpcke, Erik Dietman,
Henrik Pryds Beck, and Albert Mertz

Stalke Gallery/Kirke Sonnerup is delighted to present the exhibition "Collage,"
a meeting between five artists who have each explored and cultivated the many possibilities of collage from the 1960s to today.

Poul Lillesøe (b. 1917), who is soon turning 90, has shown his diverse production for many years with the artist association PRO. Poul Lillesøe is captivated by the unfolding of imagination and creativity, which, as he says, "all the things that pour out through my hands." — His aim is to make this process as direct and simple as possible, demonstrating life's strength and resilience with art as a weapon.

Arthur Köpcke (1928-1977) is one of the most significant representatives of the Fluxus movement. For Arthur Köpcke, it was about challenging reality through the contrasts between the banal and the absurd. The result often took the form of a rebus.

Erik Dietman (b. 1937) from Sweden works with words and concepts that often criticize both society and conventional perceptions of art. Anything can be used: newspaper images, waste, fabric pieces, photos, etc., creating what are called "guarded passages"—images and spaces that expand the viewer's awareness.

Henrik Pryds Beck (b. 1946), a former student of Arthur Köpcke and active around Gallery 38, has similarly explored collage, always with an experimental approach. His contribution to this exhibition is a kind of "pro retro," as the works span several decades, conceived with the idea that they contain potential when the concept has matured. There is always an idea (a concept) behind his works, a constructive reflection that manifests in the finished works as a painterly expression.

Albert Mertz (1919-1990) continued to explore and challenge art until the very end. His artistic activity unfolded across all genres and media, leaving behind a substantial production of montages, gouaches, paintings, and collages, along with a significant body of text and notes. Last year, Peter Holst Henckel curated an extensive exhibition, Mertz+, in the gallery, showcasing new facets of his production.

The exhibition's focal point is best characterized by Albert Mertz's view that art is not bound to a specific form of appearance or specific object but is instead identical to the effect it has on the viewer.

Art as Effect

Tomorrow, the exhibition "COLLAGE" opens at Stalke Gallery/Kirke Sonnerup. Here, you will meet five male artists who, since the 1960s, have worked with collage as a form of expression alongside other artistic forms. The five artists are Poul Lillesøe (b. 1917), Arthur Köpcke (1928–1977), Erik Dietman (b. 1937), Henrik Pryds Beck (b. 1946), and Albert Mertz (1919–1990). Stalke has collaborated on several occasions with Mertz's works, and his concept of art has also left its mark on the exhibition. In the press release, it is stated:

"The focal point of the exhibition can best be characterized by Albert Mertz's view that art is not tied to any specific form of appearance or specific object but is instead identical with the effect it has on the viewer."

Stalke Galleri, Englerupvej 62, Kirke Sonnerup, Kirke Såby.

89-Year-Old Returned

Poul Lillesøe has returned to his old house in Kirke Sonnerup – this time to exhibit.

Kirke Sonnerup: A new and exciting exhibition has opened at Stalke Gallery/Kirke Sonnerup, featuring a former resident of the old house as the exhibitor.

It is Poul Lillesøe, who at the age of 89 still paints and plays with materials. He once bought the house, which now serves as a gallery and studio for Sam Jedig.

"We bought the community house in 1966, even though it was in ruins with a gable bulging out like a pregnant woman. Renovating it was a huge task. Continued by Randi and Kai Strandgaard with their craftsmanship and completed by Sam Jedig," says Poul Lillesøe.

He and his wife, author Lotte Linck, traded in antiques and therefore purchased the place.

"We knew that a motorway was on its way. People who love old things avoid the motorway, so it worked out excellently,"recounts Poul Lillesøe.

In between, he worked on projects with other artists, such as sculptor Michael Martinus, who has since passed away.

"We created two large sculptures in iron and mosaic," shares Poul Lillesøe, who moved from Kirke Sonnerup in 1979 and now lives in Brønshøj on Håbets Allé.

"It’s a good place to live at my age," he says with a big grin.

In addition to him, notable artists such as Arthur Köpcke, Erik Dietman, Henrik Pryds Beck, and Albert Mertz are also exhibiting at the gallery in September.

Arthur Köpcke, Collection Henrik pryds Beck