PRESS RELEASE

New works by Lars Bent Petersen.

About his exhibition, Lars Bent Petersen says:

"Some of the central concepts I have been working with for many years are the notions of 'Artist' and 'Artworks.' I have approached them in an initiatory way, as something open-ended, where no consensus exists about what should be considered significant.

It may seem a bit tiresome to repeatedly be drawn into this discussion, but it remains an unavoidable premise for all art production that one must stay critical of these concepts. Not to mention the surrounding 'frame,' both physically and in terms of ideology, socio-political, or economic aspects.

In my new works, I have attempted to produce and visualize, among other things, 'handcrafted objects,' based on the assumption that there exists a paradox between a critical stance toward concepts like 'the artist,' 'the artist's role,' 'the object,' 'the artwork,' and 'the frame' surrounding art production—and the necessity of contemplating this condition while simultaneously producing the object."

Review

VALUE
Artist Lars Bent Petersen lets the audience pay what they want

Art on Conscience

Artist Lars Bent Petersen experiments with the concept of art and invites people to set their own price for art, literally, at his solo exhibition at Galleri Stalke in Vesterbro

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At Galleri Stalke in Vesterbro, there is a box on the right-hand side for entrance fees, with a sign saying, “Pay what you want.” This is followed by an invitation to consult one’s conscience and then deposit what one feels is appropriate. Otherwise, visitors are welcome to come in, have a look around, and leave again.

“You decide what you want to pay, whether you deposit money or not,” says Lars Bent Petersen. The box is not firmly secured; it is only attached to the wall with a few screws.

At the same time, Lars Bent Petersen challenges the concept of art itself with his works. The exhibition, titled “Pay what you want,” is partly an installation featuring handcrafted objects, partly a reflection on the usability of museums and the perceived value of art.

“I would like this to serve as a minimal confrontation with democracy, where people pay what they feel is right based on their conscience. But it’s also about encouraging people to think about what they see,” says Lars Bent Petersen, who is currently in Denmark, partly to teach at the Jutland Art Academy.

Without explanations

There are no fancy descriptions of his works, nor any signs indicating the meaning of his four new installations. It's up to the visitor to evaluate the works and decide for themselves what they think is right.

“It’s important that people don’t look for an explanation but instead draw on their personal experiences to interpret the meaning,” says Lars Bent Petersen.

“I would like to encourage people to think about being present in their own lives. It might sound lofty, but it’s actually very simple. It could be during your daily morning coffee, when you drink water, or when you think about walking down the street,” he says.

The next step for Lars Bent Petersen is an art fair in Frankfurt, where he is represented by Galleri Stalke along with another Danish artist, Franz Jacobi.

Louise Reseke

JP København, 23. 1998