ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art in Ishøj south of Copenhagen presents exhibitions with Danish, Nordic and international art – from new, young talents to established names ARKEN is a great and monumental building situated in the artificial landscape Køge Bay Beach south of Copenhagen. The museum has one of Scandinavia's finest collections of contemporary art, and the museum's maritime architecture with the pointed stern, which majestically protudes into the terrain, has won recognition both at home and abroad since its inaugaration in 1996.  ARKEN's collection contains more than 400 works - Danish, Nordic and international contemporary art primarly from the period after 1990. The museum houses, among other things, one of Europe's most important collections of the British artist Damien Hirst. Experience the museum's evolving sculpture park, nine works by acclaimed German artist Anselm Reyle as well as a magnificent masterpiece by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.  Distinctive architecture The museum building is an attraction in itself. With its scenic location on Kunstens Ø, or ‘Art Island’, the building, designed by the architect Søren Robert Lund, resembles a beached ship. A lagoon meanders its way around the museum, with several bridges linking the museum island with the surrounding beach area. The museum café hangs like a lifeboat on the side of the building and through the large panoramic windows overlooks Køge Bay. The museum shop is the area's leading design shop with an inspiring mix of Nordic design, art books, and gift items.   Exhibitions Group Therapy, 29.2.24-28.7.24 An inflatable flock of chickens and a burned-down preschool. An outboard motor as a national symbol of Greenland. In the exhibition Group Therapy — New Contemporary Art at ARKEN, contemporary art unfolds in many forms. Sharp, insightful, caring, dynamic and humorous - the artists explore our era and invite us to reflect on our place in the world. The exhibition's works have recently been added to the museum's permanent collection, and they are presented in an exhibition that promotes conversations about conflict, emotions, hope and healing. In her installation, Lisa's Chickens (Farm Life), Benedikte Bjerre has given a large flock of helium hens the 50 most popular girl names in Denmark right now, raising playful questions about our market-driven and gendered world. Cliché-filled ideas about gender are also challenged by Tora Schultz, who, with her Prada stilettos, inspired by the poster for the Hollywood film The Devil Wears Prada, humorously criticises the sex symbols of the fashion industry and the demeaning propensity of our society to compare powerful women to the devil. Martin Brandt Hansen punches a hole in the stereotypical notion of national identity with works such as Uummat (heart in Greenlandic) in which he transforms a Honda engine — a global symbol of strength, speed and power — into an elegant and humorous monument to today's Greenland. Anish Kapoor, Unseen: 11.4.24-20.10.24 Anish KapoorKapoor's monumental sculptures and installations speak directly to our senses and emotions. Through his unique eye for materials, shapes, colours and surfaces we are drawn into and seduced by his work, which turns the world upside down — often quite literally. Kapoor has been shown in the largest exhibition venues in the world, and he has also created several significant pieces for public spaces. Anish Kapoor was born and raised in an Indian-Jewish family in India. From 1973, he was educated in England, where he has worked ever since.‍ ARKEN's exhibitionThe exhibition at ARKEN showcases a selection of Kapoor's most significant large-scale works created during the artist's more than 40-year career. The exhibition will be spread throughout most of ARKEN's halls: the Art Axis, the Large Gallery, the Graphic Gallery and other adjacent galleries. Despite the large exhibition space, the exhibition contains only about 10 works. The majority, however, are very extensive, and in scale and intensity the works will fill the entire museum. All of the works are built specifically for and integrated into ARKEN's architecture. In this way, the exhibition will take the form of a total intervention in architecture that challenges the usual way the building is used and the spaces are experienced.  

Art gallery, water reservoir and urban dripstone cave  The subterranean space beneath the green lawns of Søndermarken Park works as a breathtaking stage for contemporary art installations. The cold, humid and dark old water reservoir might remind you of long-forgotten cathedrals and gloomy catacombs – it is sparsely illuminated, and the atmosphere evokes fascination and enchantment in both children and adults.  Every year Cisternerne invite an internationally recognized artist or architect to create an exhibition particularly to this underground space – an exhibition in large scale that interacts with and emphasizes the unique architecture, climate, atmosphere and history of Cisternerne. March 17th to November 30th 2024: Start Again the Lament by Taryn Simon Cisternerne presents an extensive sound installation by artist Taryn Simon. Building everlasting recitations of loss, Start Again the Lament explores how we mourn individually and collectively, considering the anatomy of grief and who we choose to guide us through it. In the act of lament, discontent is publicly performed. Professional mourners are granted the authority and solicited by the bereaved to occupy, negotiate, and shape their loss.  In a relentless replay, the lamentations of professional mourners are broadcast into the reverberating space of Cisternerne. These sonic rituals of grief include northern Albanian laments, which seek to excavate ‘uncried words’; Wayuu laments, which safeguard the soul’s passage to the Milky Way; Greek Epirotic laments, which bind the story of a life with its afterlife; and Yazidi laments, which trace a topography of displacement and exile. Cisternerne becomes an instrument echoing recitations of loss with a reverberation of 17 seconds.

Kunsthal Charlottenborg is one of the largest and most beautiful exhibition spaces for contemporary art in Northern Europe The exhibition space presents an ambitious program with international outlook featuring talents as well as established stars from both Denmark and abroad. Kunsthal Charlottenborg presents uncompromising and agenda setting art still understandable for everyone. The trendsetting exhibition program is supplemented with a large number of activities like artist talks, performances, concerts and film screenings. Ever since Kunsthal Charlottenborg opened in 1883, the venue has hosted exhibitions featuring many of the leading contemporary artists of the given times, accommodating many different types of shows and activities. Charlottenborg now celebrates its long history with a large-scale exhibition featuring all-new and older works alike. Together, they will evoke and add nuance to the history of Kunsthal Charlottenborg, a venue without a collection or a historical archive. Embracing chaos, affinities and time glitches, the exhibition Full of Days forges intuitive connections between historical moments and less-remembered shows, stories and events. Through a cacophony of voices, contemporary and historical artists are framed into a reflection on the elusiveness of time and the multiplicity of its representations, offering a non-linear account of one the Kunsthal’s possible histories.   Special Exhibithions (Kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk):   Thao Nguyen Phan, Reincarnations of Shadows: 13.3 – 11.8 2024 Visual artist Thao Nguyen Phan (b. 1987) intertwines mythology and folklore from her homeland’s turbulent past with current pressing issues of excessive consumption and the destruction of the earth’s resources. The intersection between the documentary and the supernatural take centre stage in this exhibition, which evokes ghostly presences, lush landscapes and unofficial narratives. Charlottenborg Art Books The independent bookstore offers a distinctive selection of books and magazines, including publications in the fields of fine art, critical design, typography, literature, and theory.Apollo Bar & Canteen Apollo Bar & Canteen are Kunsthal Charlottenborg’s bar and dining place by chef and creator Frederik Bille Brahe. Every weekday from Tuesday to Friday, you can enjoy a healthy and delicious lunch at the canteen, and all week you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or an exciting dinner or just a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a drink at the bar next to the courtyard.

Gl. Holtegaard is an art center with a programme of three to four ambitious exhibitions a year, both in the gallery of the main house and in the Baroque garden. The mission is to present contemporary and classical artworks that make history relevant and bring a fresh perspective to the age in which we live. The gallery’s unique location in the historical buildings and grounds of Lauritz de Thurah’s Baroque complex is an integrated part of the exhibition profile. It is precisely this context that makes it possible to bring contemporary art into close contact with the historical material Gammel Holtegaard is made of.The Baroque garden is thus seen as an extended gallery, and exhibitions there are as carefully curated and presented as the indoor ones in the annual programme. Gammel Holtegaard has a diverse year-round programme of events and activities relating to the exhibitions and to Gammel Holtegaard itself. These include artist talks, performances, talks, debates, garden tours, concerts, and much more. Exhibitions (glhotegaard.dk): YOU TOO WILL GET OLD, 1/6/24-1/9/24 Gammel Holtegaard’s summer exhibition You Too Will Get Old presents two solo shows by what at first glance would seem to be very different artists. Currently experiencing a major revival in the Danish art world, award-winning artist Kirsten Christensen (1943) presents an exclusive selection of works on loan from museums and private collectors, some of them never on view to the public before. At the other end of Gammel Holtegaard is Swedish artist Linnéa Sjöberg (1983) with a choice selection of key works from her oeuvre as her Danish debut. NINA BEIER, 1/6/24-1/12/24 The internationally recognised Danish artist Nina Beier develops a large-scale new work for the baroque garden at Gammel Holtegaard. Marble is often part of Beier’s artistic practice, reflecting her interest in the material itself but especially the development of natural stone from its raw geological state to cultural artefact. In Beier’s works the gap between the history of an object and the symbolic value it accrues is accentuated and twisted in new juxtapositions and encounters. For Island the artist has collected slabs of marble and other stone originally cut to make kitchens and bathrooms. These she has spread in a specific section of the garden where they form a geological map of the world, transforming the original and natural into a kind of architecture that can be seen as an extension of the controlled design principles of a baroque garden. Transport Gl. Holtegaard is located north of Copenhagen, and both entrance and public transport is included in COPENHAGEN CARD - DISCOVER. We recommend using journeyplanner.dk to plan your trip.  

Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art is a must see in Copenhagen for anyone interested in art and architecture. Den Frie is closed between exhibitions. Please check the website before going. Den Frie was founded by artists in 1898 and is one of the oldest venues for contemporary art in Denmark. It is in itself a unique and very beautiful wooden building designed by famous artist J.F. Willumsen. Den Frie’s fundamental aim is to present the very latest in contemporary art. We host exhibitions by national and international artists, all of which address current issues. The extensive programme of exhibitions and events are evidence of Den Frie’s role as an active platform for living art and
art production, and the commitment to contribute to contemporary existence. With its relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, Den Frie is also a popular meeting place for artists, students, tourists and the many locals who pass by. As a visitor you’ll feel welcome and enjoy having your interest in contemporary art stimulated, whether you’re an art connoisseur or a beginner. On top of which the architecture alone is well worth a visit. Den Frie also houses the café, Polykrom, where you can enjoy a delicious lunch or a well-made cup of coffee.   Exhibitions: CARL NIELSEN OG ANNE MARIE CARL-NIELSENS LEGAT 2024, 9. June - 4. August An inflatable iceberg that breathes slowly, a landscape of waving take-away cups, a circle of bronze sculptures, a printing press cut in half, and a giant aluminum relief shown for the first time since 1974 are just some of the highlights of the exhibition featuring artists Gerda Thune Andersen, Nina Beier, Jessie Kleemann, Simon Starling, and Gudrun Steen-Andersen, who in 2024 will receive the honorary award from the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Grant. Special Effect, May 4 - september 8, 2024 With Special Effect, Atiéna R. Kilfa presents a new body of works consisting of a short film and two large scale pencil drawings. In continuation of Kilfa’s investigation and restructuring of cinematic archetypes, Special Effect homes in on the nondescript figure of a man sitting at a desk. Shot in black and white, the film eerily evokes a timelessness of the figure by bringing it in resonance with pictorial genres reminiscent of various eras from German Expressionist cinema to the golden age of Hollywood film noir, fast forward to its 4K quality of today. By evoking these archetypes, figuration becomes a tool to examine the ciphers which make up our systems and their potential collapse.  

North Atlantic House is an art center where you can encounter North Atlantic art and culture. Here, people and artists from Iceland, Greenland, The Faroe Islands, Denmark - and the rest of the world - meet and inspire one another. A visit to North Atlantic House is guaranteed to expand your horizon and stir your senses. You will find two exhibition rooms in which you can get a taste of North Atlantic culture through changing exhibitions, that shed light on the art scene of each of the three countries, in turn. Furthermore, on specific days and evenings, you can experience everything from concerts, movies, presentations and events. Explore North Atlantic art and culture in the beautiful warehouse from the 1700s. Built in 1767, North Atlantic House was the port for maritime traffic between Denmark and the North Atlantic for over 200 years. Special Exhibitions (nordatlantens.dk): WINGSPAN, 8.6.24-22.9.24 The Faroese painter Sigrun Gunnarsdóttir is a storyteller at heart. Her works are about home, about longing, about presence, about looking for the key to locked rooms, about faith as one’s foundation, about grief and care. Often, the perspective in her art is that of the child, and a sense of caring for those who have newly entered the world permeates Gunnarsdóttir’s work. Indeed, it was a pressing need to tell stories that prompted Gunnarsdóttir to abandon concrete observations of the world in favour of the naïve and Surrealist idiom she has been practicing since the 1990s. In her painterly world, big things become small and vice versa, and her works are filled with a regularly recurring array of symbols such as the sparrow, the key, the lily, the door and the angel. Sigrun Gunnarsdóttir was born in 1950 in Eiði on the Faroe Islands, where she still lives and works. She is a graduate from The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, having studied there in 1973–1980 under professor Sven Dalsgaard. She has presented countless exhibitions in her native Faroe Islands and abroad. In 2023, her artistic endeavours were the subject of Marianna Mørkøre and Beinta á Torkilsheyggi’s award-winning portrait film Heartist, which is included in the exhibition.     Authentic surroundings These days, other ports serve the North Atlantic market, and the historic warehouse is now a thriving cultural centre, dedicated to the art and culture of Denmark’s former North Atlantic colonies Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. North Atlantic artists are often inspired by the landscapes, light, and nature sounds of their region, which lends a fiercely visual, bodily, and musical quality to their art. The rustic, maritime spirit of the old warehouse with its raw plank floors and exposed rafter ceilings offers a unique and beautiful contrast to the artworks on the display. Nordic food Visit the cultural centre to get your own first-hand impression of this intriguing harbour front area. The North Atlantic House is open all year round and offers a lovely café where you can enjoy a good glass of wine or a cup of coffee. On the Nordatlantens Brygge Harbour Front you will find the Faroese and Greenlandic Representations, the Icelandic Embassy, and the culinary treasures of Restaurant Barr.

Willumsen's Museum is a museum for the Danish artist Jens Ferdinand Willumsen’s art and art collection as well as his archive and books. A short walk from Frederikssund Station you find Willumsens Museum where you you can see the works of Danish painter and Sculptor J. F. Willumsen. Today many of Willumsen’s major works stand as significant contributions to Nordic modernism, but equally many were previously dismissed and have only recently been reclaimed by art history. Throughout his life Willumsen was determined to go his own way, and some of his most radical and explosively colourful works were made towards its end. This late period has, until recently, been largely underestimated, fulfilling Willumsen’s prophecy that his art would only be understood by posterity.   Willumsen drew on tradition, but was also in dialogue with the popular culture of his own age. Quick strokes, caricatures, and loud colours were recurrent elements in many of his works as a painter. As a sculptor his works were monumental, the most famous being The Great Relief, now in the main gallery of the museum but originally intended for a bar in Chicago. Willumsen was active as an artist for over 70 years. He experienced two world wars, radical technological transformations, the break with identifiable motifs in avant-garde art, and the birth of modern, abstract painting.   Exhibitons (willumsensmuseum.dk): 'Like a Moth to the Flame', 10.2.24-28.7.24 There is a series of incredible coincidences in the works of Margin Bigum and J.F. Willumsen. Themes, color tones and motifs sneak in and out of each other across time and place. These coincidences - which have in the exhibition been placed side by side - in themselves make a juxtaposition between the two artists interesting. However, it is the artistic process, seen from the perspective of the creative artist, that is the core of the exhibition. At the exhibition, the audience can experience paintings, lithograåhs, sculptures, photographs, drawings and sketches by Willumsen and Bigum - from their very young years to their mature productions. Willumsen's World The first time Jens Ferdinand Willumsen (1863-1958) really caused a stir in Denmark was in 1891, the year he sent the etching Fertility from Paris to an exhibition in Copenhagen. Willumsen’s simple, symbolic portrayal of his pregnant wife and his proclamation of ‘new art’ outraged the Danish art audience, who nevertheless stood in line to see the scandalous work. Willumsen has divided opinion with his visually brash, often flamboyant, and at times extreme figurative art ever since. Willumsen collected paintings he attributed to Rafael, Leonardo Da Vinci, El Greco, Rembrandt and Cézanne. He clearly saw himself as the last in a long line of master artists who had gone beyond the limits of the possible during their own lifetime. The museum houses Willumsen’s Old Collection of genuine and counterfeit works, which is key to understanding his artistic world and vision.