2021-Marianne hess

Marianne Hesselbjerg

Stalke Cube Space

Aske Sigurd Kraul

front space

Works by: Thorbjørn Lausten, Line Toftsø, Morten Tillitz, William Anastasi

Center Gallery

Deviant Draftmanship

William Anthony

New Book

Stalke Galleri, Kirke Sonnerup

30.10 - 27.11.2021

Info:

Marianne Hesselbjerg

(Stalke Cube space)

Aske Sigurd Kraul

Including selected works by Thorbjørn Lausten, Line Toftø, Morten Tillitz, and William Anastasi

William Anthony's large book (DEVIANT DRAFTMANSHIP)

Marianne Hesselbjerg
Cubes, Squares, and a Cone

Or an attempt to create the perfect Cube in Stalke Cube.

The cubes stand on the floor. The squares stand as cubes that have sunk into the floor—or into the wall.

We dug into the lawn behind the foundry and poured 1000 degrees of hot liquid aluminum into the holes where the burnt grass roots were, creating impressions and, subsequently, positive marks in the figures.

Loose aluminum shells can be seen on a row of small, polished aluminum shelves. The cone and a few cubes are outside the room.

The sculptures emerge as three-dimensional pencil drawings in opposition to the black/white cube.

Marianne Hesselbjerg has, over the past three decades, exhibited several times at Stalke Gallery in solo exhibitions and group shows.

Aske Sigurd Kraul, Deposition of Air (Front gallery)

Using simple objects and pure materials, the exhibition is a philosophical reflection on reconstructing the world. In its entirety, the exhibition can seem distant in our evidence-based society. The works investigate the potential of the uncontrolled and fleeting. Through their transformation processes, the works become self-referential in framing the concept.

Copper degradation results in the formation of a colored pigment applied directly to the canvas, determining the visual expression. Thus, the works are in constant change.

Including selected works by Thorbjørn Lausten, Line Toftø, Morten Tillitz, and William Anastasi

Simultaneously announcing a new book by William Anthony (NYC): DEVIANT DRAFTMANSHIP.

Anthony mercilessly waged war against the art world as well as the joys and madness of love. Anthony tells that his style originates from the drawing mistakes that even the least talented art students make.

The New York Times wrote that Anthony is “hilarious” and “profound,” meaning absurdly funny and profound at the same time. He has achieved cult status in the art world, and Anthony is represented by more than 30 museums around the world.

Press Release

New Book: DEVIANT DRAFTSMANSHIP, The Art of William Anthony

William Anthony's paintings and drawings can be found in the collections of more than 30 major art museums.
The origin of his remarkable style may be attributed to his experience early in his career as an instructor of figure drawing. He developed a unique method of teaching beginners, which concentrated on identifying and correcting the mistakes the students made. Their worst mistakes became Anthony's satirical style.

It didn’t take Anthony long to realize that his classroom satire could be the basis for a new art statement. He started with take-offs of old and new masters, Michelangelo, Vermeer, Picasso, and Johns. But soon he graduated into victimizing just about anyone and anything.

DEVIANT DRAFTSMANSHIP includes much of the work Anthony has done since the publication of IRONIC ICONS (2013), which was another compilation of his paintings and drawings, also by Sam Jedig and published by Stalke Gallery, Denmark.

Praise for Anthony's Work:

ROBERT ROSENBLUM, ART CRITIC
"Outrageous! Repulsive! Insults standards of art! Ought to be banned! Congratulations!"

ROBERTA SMITH, NEW YORK TIMES
"…a terrific show…"

VIVIEN RAYNOR, NEW YORK TIMES
"…Anthony (is)… a cult figure…"

ROY LICHTENSTEIN, ARTIST
"Rave review!"

LEO STEINBERG, ART HISTORIAN
"Incisive social commentary in the delicious disguise of incompetence."

GALLERY VISITOR SEEING A SMALL PENCIL DRAWING BY ANTHONY
"Oh, that must be the work of a retarded person."

Marianne Hesselbjerg

Stalke Cube Space

Cubes, Squares, and Blue Copper

The nationally renowned Galleri Stalke in Sonnerup has an exhibition underway featuring metal-cast cubes by a famous artist — and experiments with copper powder.

SONNERUP: An aluminum cone weighing 150 kilos is carefully maneuvered on a sack truck and transported into Galleri Stalke.

Here, several heavy aluminum cubes are already waiting to be brought into the large "Stalke Space Cube" — a legendary square room, which is also painted black on the outside. Incidentally, a new color was last introduced in the gallery in Sonnerup four years ago.

"The cubes challenge the larger cube in the hall," explains gallery owner Sam Jedig, wiping the sweat from his brow as one of the cubes is transported into the square cube room.

Sam Jedig has invited Marianne Hesselbjerg and Aske Sigurd Kraul to exhibit in the gallery, with the opening and vernissage scheduled for Saturday, October 30th, from 1-5 PM.

"I have worked with cubes for many years. The idea here is to work with a strict geometric shape while also exposing the metal to organic influences by letting it be cast in dug-out earth. Try looking at it — there sits a stone in the large, heavy cube, and the surface shows organic traces," says Marianne Hesselbjerg.

The geometric sculptures are filled with organic marks after the 1,000-degree-hot aluminum is poured into molds dug in the earth, where the two elements combine to form a new piece every time Marianne has the metal poured into a mold.

Helping with the extraordinary castings is Henrik Synnest from the metal foundry Bjærregaard Nielsen in Greve. The metal has been left in the earth for half a day to take its shape.

"From earth we came, to earth we shall return. This process lets the metal's properties speak through the entire casting process. The whole process is also reflected in the works," says Sam Jedig with a smile.

"It will be exciting to see how the cubes will look against the many heavy layers," adds Henrik Synnest.

You could call it Land Art — something that emerged in the 1960s. Marianne Hesselbjerg is at the forefront of artists experimenting in this area of the art world. She has sold works to major international museums and has exhibited several times at Galleri Stalke.

Copper and Acid

The newspaper visited yesterday, where the two artists and Sam Jedig were busy preparing the gallery for the opening on Saturday.

Aske Sigurd Kraul is, in contrast, an up-and-coming young artist who is not yet widely known in the art world but is making his mark. He lives in Englerup and has a studio in Roskilde.

His works are canvases where he experiments with fine copper powder mixed with ethanoic acid. The results of the chemical reactions are beautiful green and blue-hued images. He has also experimented with salt acid — this did not yield good results, as the milder ethanoic acid works much better.

The Uncontrollable

In many ways, he is on the same path as Marianne Hesselbjerg, as both are deeply fascinated by physical processes that can be read in their works.

"I am fascinated by changes and the uncontrollable, something I think people can take much from. For instance, I researched how color pigments emerge, and I try to control the motif but let things unfold as they will," explains Aske.

"I think art should have a connection to reality, which is why I work with raw materials," Aske Kraul adds.

Stalke Turns 35

SONNERUP: Galleri Stalke has now been located in Kirke Sonnerup for 20 years — an anniversary that is not being officially celebrated. Before that, Stalke was in Copenhagen for 15 years and was an important part of the avant-garde on the Copenhagen art scene.

"I haven't become an old-fashioned gallery owner — I continue to experiment and attract people here. The gallery is my base, but most of my activities take place abroad, and I am part of new exhibitions in New York and Cologne," says Sam Jedig.

"The entire gallery essence lies in Copenhagen; that's where people buy art. It’s always exciting to be geographically on the periphery and challenge the art scene with how people seek out art. And possibly draw art to foreign audiences. Denmark is a very small country," explains Sam Jedig.

As is well known, there are far fewer visitors from Copenhagen to Sonnerup than from Sonnerup to Copenhagen. Even though I mobilize a great exhibition, the crowds do not necessarily come flocking here.

Galleri Stalke has hosted many great artists in its stable. Among them is Olafur Eliasson, who is now world-famous. He exhibited at Galleri Stalke during its time in Copenhagen, when he was not yet known, and had a solo exhibition at Stalke in Sonnerup in 2003. Today, he is a megastar and internationally renowned.

By Agnete Vistar