MORGUNBLADID

Friday, June 9, 2006

Culture

Visual Arts | Danish artist Sam Jedig opens an exhibition at Gallery Kambi tomorrow

When the Danish Flag Burned

At Gallery Kambi in Rangárþing ytra, an exhibition by Danish artist Sam Jedig will open tomorrow.
Sam has been prominent in Danish art, particularly through his work as a curator at Stalke Gallery and Stalke Out of Space in Copenhagen. This is Sam Jedig's first exhibition in Iceland, although he has previously contributed to Icelandic art by curating exhibitions of international artists here and introducing Icelandic artists to Denmark. Sam mentored a young artist, Olafur Eliasson, during his studies, and Olafur’s first exhibitions were held at Stalke Gallery.

Self-Portrait of Denmark in Turbulent Times

The works on display at Gallery Kambi were created by Sam during his stay in France:

"This was around the time of the cartoon controversy, which caused a severe crisis in Denmark," says Sam. "I isolated myself from the outside world and worked on these pieces, which are a kind of journey through dreamscapes and the experience of being Danish during this time when the Danish flag was being burned across the Islamic world."

The exhibition at Gallery Kambi is titled "I Wished It Were Here."

The exhibition features two video works, collages, and drawings. "The works address globalization, Christianity, and Islam. The cartoon controversy was a difficult time for Danes. We had previously been among the most well-liked nations but suddenly became very unpopular in a matter of moments. Until then, we had been used to seeing the American flag burned in protests, but suddenly Denmark was thrown into the middle of global events," says Sam

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The exhibition at Gallery Kambi in Þjórsárbakkar will run until July 2. The gallery is open from 1 PM to 6 PM every day except Wednesdays.

"WishYou Were Here"

EXHIBITION The Danish artist Sam Jedig is exhibiting in Iceland for the first time at Gallery Kambi. The exhibition will open on Saturday, June 10, at 3 PM.

Two video works are the main pieces of the exhibition. One of them is titled "I Wished You Were Here," which also serves as the exhibition's title. This piece explores the composition of humanity and refers to a mysterious human existence and the world, while also incorporating humor in art. The other piece, "No Defenses Were Made," discusses a paper sculpture created in France in February 2006.

Jedig’s exhibition is a journey between worlds. Desiring creatures emerge, seeking physical perfection. These beings, born in mysterious realms, are striking and sometimes terrifying or devilish. They strive to recreate themselves using various tricks to be seen, enjoy love, and make use of elements from the human world, such as fashion images, dolls, and fragments of visual art.

The works displayed at Gallery Kambi raise questions about our identity, worldview, and how we express ourselves. Sam Jedig manipulates the images we are used to seeing, recreating or rearranging them in unexpected ways. His core idea is that we define for ourselves how real reality is—that behind the appearance of objects and the world, there exist realms that are just as real as what we see.

Sam Jedig has been active in the art world since 1980. He has also served as a curator at Stalke Gallery and Stalke Out of Space in Copenhagen.

Galleri Kambur