Artist of the Month

Storm Trooper hit by Corona. Art print. Seb Ified Art

The artist, Sebastian Nielsen surrounded by his paintings. Photo: Yurii Bulanov

Artist of the Month, Denmark Giving old paintings a new life

When admiring an old painting, the last thing you’d expect is a McDonald’s logo. But that’s exactly what you get when browsing through the artwork of Sebastian Nielsen, founder of Danish website, Seb Ified Art. Playing around with graffiti techniques and contrasts between old and new, Nielsen challenges our expectations of art.

By Karen Gilmour Kristensen | Photos: Seb Ified Art

Purchasing old paintings from various second-hand shops and flea markets, Nielsen adds his own touch to the original artwork. Having made a lot of graffiti in his youth, he is heavily inspired by street art.

“I try to include an element that takes the viewer by surprise,” Nielsen explains. “I have always been drawn to graffiti, which is an artform that shows up in places you wouldn’t expect it. In the same way, my art consists of elements from popular culture that show up in the least expected place: old-fashioned paintings.”

In Denmark, Nielsen isn’t the only artist who paints on old paintings. But something that sets him apart from the others is the way he adds his own touch. When working on a painting, he keeps the main motifs and blends new elements with them.

“These old paintings aren’t bad at all,” Nielsen says. “A lot of the artists are very skilled and have a strong technique. And the motifs are good. I incorporate the original painting into my art to pay my respect to the artist.”

Nielsen describes the feedback from potential customers so far as ‘overwhelming’. “People often fall for the humour in my artwork. They think it’s fun to see modern elements such as a Pokémon on an otherwise traditional painting. And I think they like to see recognisable logos and figures which is why I try to incorporate those.” While most of the feedback has been positive, Nielsen has received negative comments as well. “Some people tell me that they see my art as vandalism and an act of disrespect,” Nielsen explains. “But most of these old paintings have been for sale in second-hand shops for a very long time. Sometimes they’re just about to be thrown out. Instead, I give them a new chance to hang on walls in living rooms and receive the attention they deserve.”

www.sebified.dk Instagram: @seb.ified.art

Unzip it?! Art print. Seb Ified Art

Vejlemuseerne’s jaw-dropping cache of Iron Age gold, tales of trade and Viking Age alliances

Giant sculptures, weaving workshops, an interactive digital museum and an entire Iron Age village: Vejlemuseerne (The Vejle Museums) may be full of historical relics, but a visit is every bit the modern experience. Now, the hybrid museum organisation is lifting the curtain on its latest offering: a major exhibition of Viking artefacts, dubbed Power and Gold.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Vejle Museums

Power and Gold presents the never-before-told story of Viking-Slavic ties forged via travel and trade between Denmark and Poland. The narrative traces the rule of Harald Bluetooth, the King of the Jelling dynasty, his cultural encounters and political alliances.

A staggering one-kilogramme cache of Iron Age gold dating back to the 500s, named ‘The Vindelev Hoard’, will also make its museum debut, after being disCharlotta Lindblom. “Usually, Viking exhibitions are about razing and pillaging and the spoils of war. This one isn’t about that. It’s about how Vikings traded and built alliances, and this exhibition in Vejle focuses particularly on Bluetooth’s alliances in Poland. There has never been an exhibition about that before. It’s a new side of the Vikings – the political side.”

covered – incredibly – by amateur metal-detectorists. It’s one of the largest ancient gold-hoards ever found in Denmark and grabbed headlines across the world when it was announced last summer.

A fresh perspective “I’ve worked on the Viking exhibition for almost ten years. What’s exciting is that we’ve made Power and Gold in collaboration with Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus,” explains museum inspector

Alongside the unique perspective on Bluetooth, Power and Gold exhibits the latest archaeological knowledge of the fabled Jomsborg – a place described in Icelandic sagas, but whose true location has, until now, eluded historians. “We think we’ve found the place now,” says Lindblom. “The Wolin trading post, close to the current border between Germany and Poland, is a good bet. Exploring these regions has unearthed a trove of clues about the cultural exchange between the Vikings and their Slavic neighbours.”

“Power and Gold is about reaching a shared understanding of how the Vikings left footprints in Poland, and how the Slavic folk left footprints in Denmark – the connections between ordinary people, but also between kings and rulers,” Lindblom explains.

Whalebone tools and bone-splintering weapons Central to the many encounters and exchanges of the Vikings was sailing. While longships were crucial, early navigation tools were the real scientific breakthrough. “We’re exhibiting a very rare solar compass made of whalebone, found at the Truso trading post in Poland. It’s enormously exciting. It’s the oldest compass we’ve found. Another was discovered in Greenland from the 1200s or 1300s – but this is from the 800s,” enthuses Lindblom. But the compass won’t be the only whalebone artefact on display. Carved whalebone pieces from the Viking version of chess, called ‘hnefatafl’, discovered at a Polish harbour, will also be included. “It indicates that perhaps when merchants met and waited for their ships to be repaired, they stood and chatted down by the harbour and played a few games of hnefatafl,” says Lindblom. “I’m also incredibly excited to present our collection of ancient Scandinavian weapons – swords, spears, axes – and jewellery, on loan from Ostrow Lednicki Museum in Poland. They are unbelievably well-preserved.”

A day-trip to the Viking era The little town of Vejle is nestled in the Danish countryside, a drive or train-ride from Aarhus and Copenhagen, and Vejlemuseerne is one of the richest off-piste day trips that those who seek a taste of authentic Nordic history can make.

“The area around Vejle is incredibly picturesque. Nearby are the remnants of ‘The Ravning Bridge’ – a bridge that Bluetooth had built. Jelling – where Bluetooth’s fort and legendary ancient seat of power lay – is only ten kilometres from the museum,” says Lindblom. “To reach the bridge, you drive through a forest, where you can have a picnic. It’s beautiful. You can see the exhibition, hear the story and then drive out to these authentic Viking locations and experience it for yourself.” Takeaway treasures You’d be forgiven for wanting to take a little piece of Vejle and its mythic history with you. The Vindelev Hoard alone is jaw-dropping, while the rare amber, whalebone and iron artefacts are visibly steeped in Norse legend.

Accompanying Power and Gold is an eponymous coffee-table book, available at the museum and online in both Danish and English. So, while you’ll have to leave the gold behind, you can bring the stories home.

Power and gold - Vikings in the east is exhibited in the Utzon Hall at Vejle Art Museum. www.vejlemuseerne.dk Facebook: vejlemuseerne

Opening times: Tue to Sun, 11am to 5pm, free admission Address: Utzon hall, Vejle Kunstmuseum, Flegborg 16-18, Vejle Guided tours: €7, various dates, available on website Buy the Power and Gold book: www.turbine.dk

Scandinavian weapons found in Poland. The exhibition features many finds from Ostrow Lednicki and Truso in Poland. Photo: Museum of the first Piast, Ostrow Lednicki.tif

A selection of Moon Jars in different glazes.

Handmade ceramics and expressionist art on the banks of a Danish fjord

The Cosy Times Ceramics shop and gallery, in the Danish town of Kerteminde, is a stone’s throw from the fjord. Here, the flat, sweeping banks are clustered with redbrick homes, wooden fishing houses and small boats bobbing on the swell. To the east, the waters open into the Kattegat Strait and the Baltic Sea. This is where ceramic artist Svetlana Slizova, owner of Cosy Times Ceramics, comes to get her hands dirty.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Cosy Times Ceramics

Cosy Times Ceramics’ sunny front overlooks a busy, cobbled street corner. But inside, the shop is serene – adorned with expressionist art and low, white shelves bearing her gem-like collection of handmade bowls, vases, jars and coffee sets.

“I don’t like mass-produced repetition. I work in small batches of simple shapes, and my work contains many one-offs. When making sets – coffee sets or salt range of petite, flared bowls and narrow vases. Likewise, the finish: “My glazing is inspired by the changes of the sea, sky and nature around the sea in different seasons. I constantly explore and am inspired by these elements,” says Svetlana.

“I glaze by pouring or dipping,” she continues. Often, the glaze will melt and run during the firing process, when the porcelain is heated up to 1,250 degrees centigrade. “It can run too low and stick to the kiln shelves. It’s about finding a balance between the thickness of the glaze and the shape you’re glazing. I like to experiment. Sometimes I find surprising results that I can explore further… and sometimes it can be a complete disaster,” she says with a grin.

and pepper bowls, where the size needs to be consistent – I weigh the porcelain clay bowls before throwing on the wheel. I like to create different shapes and then decide which glazes and finishing touches fit the best,” explains Svetlana.

The lines of Svetlana’s ceramic works recall both those of Greco-Roman art, as with her elegant poppy-seed shaped jars, and the Japanese ceramic tradition, in her

The magic of porcelain Svetlana trained in ceramics with Michel Francois, a former artist-in-residence at Leach Pottery in Cornwall. “It all started as a hobby which inspired me to create my home studio in England. Michel introduced me to grogged porcelain, which contains particles of sand. I loved its plasticity and whiteness,” she recalls. “I moved to Audrey Blackman porcelain – a very smooth clay, perfect for both modelling and throwing. It becomes white after firing and, if made thin, it fires translucent.”

In 2020, she moved to Denmark, where her journey in ceramics took shape. Svetlana seems to light up as she describes the ethereal qualities of porcelain: “working with porcelain is sensual. It puts you into a kind of flow-state. There are a couple of quotes I read that capture the feeling: ‘clay work is a way to get out of your head and into your body, much like meditation’ and ‘seeing your own finger marks means that a part of you is forever connected with every piece.’”

Perhaps that’s why Svetlana’s ceramic discipline lends itself so easily to organic forms. Indeed, her body of work, seen in its entirety on the white shelves of the Cosy Times Ceramics gallery, evokes the repeating, subtly irregular geometry of the natural world. But she is equally inspired by the art itself: “it’s interesting to see how other artists approach their ideas and how their ideas take form,” she says.

“For example, for the art fair in Kerteminde, I decided to create a collection of moon jars. These are curvaceous, plain white porcelain jars resembling the full moon, originally made in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. I made three different sizes – mini, medium and large – in different glazes.”

Expressionist painting meets ceramics In July, Svetlana opened Contemporary Art Kerteminde – part of Cosy Times Ceramics – an art shop in which she hosts ongoing exhibitions. The summer’s first show features colourful abstract-expressionist paintings by the Danish painters Preben Beck and Ulrik Dal.

“I wanted to surround my ceramics with the works of amazing painters to create harmony between different artistic mediums,” she explains. But the cross-pollination of ideas at the new gallery goes beyond juxtaposition: “Ulrik and I have collaborated on a set of porcelain vessels,” she explains. The range of coffee cups, bowls and vases combines a satisfyingly weighty form with willowy, stem-like lines – hand-painted by Ulrik in splashes of joyful crimson, steel blue and moody green.

An open studio In fact, all the porcelain pieces at Cosy Times Ceramics and Contemporary Art Kerteminde beg to be handled; many are palm-sized, textured or seductively curvy. So, visitors will be pleased to hear that as well as being able to buy the ceramic collections on display and visiting the open studio, they will soon be able to work directly with Svetlana on their own clay projects.

“I’m developing the idea of sharing the knowledge of making ceramics by giving lessons in hand-building techniques, as well as experience on the wheel,” she says. To visit Svetlana’s atelier is to experience an ancient, largely unchanged process, steeped in modern influences, and inspired by the stunning Nordic surrounds. Plus, you might find some cute new coffee cups.

www.cosytimesceramics.dk Instagram: @cosytimesceramics.kerteminde

Tall Vase in Mosagat Green.

Svetlana and Ulrik’s collaborative series.

Cosy Times Ceramic gallery and shop. Svetlana in the studio.

Foundation director Erik Kolind Nilsen welcoming visitors to the gardens.

The garden’s atelier with a glimpse of Claus Bonderup’s iconic lamps.

Anne Just’s Have –a garden of tranquillity

Nestled within the dramatic landscape of north-western Jutland near the wild western sea, there is a garden like no other. It’s a peaceful place to restore the soul and reset the mind, to soak up the calm and quiet away from the tourist trail, and a beautiful art and nature experience rolled into one.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Bodil Færk

Danish painter Anne Just and her husband, renowned architect Claus Bonderup laid the foundations of the garden in 1991. Today, it has grown into a truly unique amalgamation of nature, art and architecture. Their vision was to create a living and continuously changing place, with garden ‘rooms’ offering different experiences of nature and art.

“The garden is a wonderful cultural experience,” explains Erik Kolind Nielsen, director of The Foundation for the Conservation of Anne Just’s Garden. “It is in complete contrast with its surroundings.” This part of Jutland is very busy during the high season, and whilst tional Danish pastry pretzel) in the café and a walk around the garden, or you can stay a night or two in Have Hotellet, the Garden Hotel, where you have the gardens to yourself before and after the public visiting hours of 1-4pm. The pace is unrushed, allowing time for reflection and to enjoy the peace and calm of the place. It’s little wonder that visitors agree it’s like a tonic for the soul.

A stroll through the garden is akin to walking through twisty, cobbled streets. You cannot see what lies around the corner and, at each bend, an abundance of flowers and plants unfold. This creative and inspiring collaboration between nature and architecture will continue to grow as a living, breathing place of peace and tranquillity.

the garden and its boutique hotel is well-visited, the nature of the place provides a welcome antidote to the hustle and bustle of nearby Blokhus.

A tonic for the soul The foundation, devoted to the upkeep of the 7,500 square-metre sustainable garden, was set up in 2008 and a dedicated team of employees oversee the day to day running of the place. “We have very high standards for all that we do here and want to ensure a perfect and unique experience for our guests every time,” Erik says.

You can visit for a couple of hours, have a coffee and homemade kringle (a tradiwww.annejust.dk Facebook: Anne Justs Have – haven i Hune Instagram: @havenihune

Scandinavian music: new releases

By Karl Batterbee

Brand-new music is here from the Icelandic band Vök – they’re out with their aptly titled latest single Illuminating. A beautifully dreamy tune with a chorus that turns the whole production into something of a torch song, it’s one of the most instantly striking –and to these ears, best – tracks they’ve released to date.

Norwegian superstar Anna Of The North is back with some new music for us to enjoy –her current single Dandelion. It’s freshfaced summer pop with wistful lyrics and an upbeat production that blossoms into something special, as it unfolds before your ears, bearing repeat listens.

Finnish artist Alma has returned to the airwaves with her first release since 2020’s Have You Seen Her album: new single Everything Beautiful. This is a perfectlycrafted radio staple in the making, on which the artist serves up perhaps her most universally-palatable release so far. It has a soundscape that borders on, but intentionally never crosses over to, sonic euphoria.

A newcomer on Finland’s music scene, ILON, continues a flawless run of recent singles, with her very latest Skater Girls. She’s released a nostalgic summer bop that stirs up a cocktail of aspiration, self-reflection and discontent in its lyrics. All dressed in an endearingly hummable pop melody, of course.

Danish singer-songwriter Laura Druzy has just put her second single out into the world. Catching listeners’ attention with a killer pop hook, it’s Toy Boy. It ends up being a hell of a lot of fun, effortlessly charming and one you’ll want to keep coming back to for a repeat performance – not unlike the very notion of a Toy Boy itself!

www.scandipop.co.uk

Monthly Illustration Hello, we are the Scandinavians

By Gabi Frödén

Hello. We are the Scandinavians. We are recognised by our black, white and grey wardrobe, healthy lifestyle and lack of hospitality. We do not share food and we do not pop round unannounced for a beverage and a blether.

I recently had a meeting with a woman based in Dublin. I entered the zoom waiting room at 09.58 for our 10am meeting. She let me in and asked me how I was. I triumphantly held up my cup of tea and said: “I had time to make myself a cup of tea, so I am fine. How about you? Did you manage to get a drink?” She laughed and shook her head. Then she told me that her friend used to live in Sweden and had warned her that Swedes are very punctual. So she worried that making herself a cuppa before our meeting would make her late, and somehow insult the Swede. I felt a mixture of pride and deep shame. She denied herself a cup of tea on the basis of a rumour about my countryfolk. But it is true, isnt it? We are punctual people. We take pride in being on time and when people aren’t, we consider them rude and incapable. If you can’t come to a meeting on time, how in the world are you able to do anything at all? How does the world go round if we are not on time? And to be honest, I tend to be on time. If I’m not, I feel very anxious and must apologise until somebody gives me a hug.

So… to summarise the Scandis: boring wardrobe choices, no sharing of food, no spontaneous chat... and punctuality. We sound like great fun, don’t we?

Gabi Froden is a Swedish illustrator and writer, living in Glasgow with her husband and two children. Her children’s and YA books are published in Sweden by Bonnier Carlsen and Natur&Kultur. www.gabifroden.com

Oulu August Festival is worth a trip to northern Finland. Photo: Jaani Föhr / Oulun juhlaviikot

Scandinavian Culture Calendar

–Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

By Hanna Heiskanen

Confidencen (until 20 August) Confidencen is a music and opera festival taking place in Ulriksdal Palace, just outside Stockholm, which dates from the 17th century. Named after the Rococo building on the grounds that hosts Sweden’s oldest theatre, the festival showcases performing arts old and new, from Baroque to musical theatre. This year’s major production is Proserpin, an opera that premiered on these premises in 1781 in front of King Gustav III. Slottsallén 3, Stockholm www.confidencen.se

Copenhagen is a haven for foodies. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen

See 17th century opera at Confidencen. Photo: Martin Hellström

Arts & Crafts market at Kirkeristen (8 to 20 August) If you are looking for the perfect gift (it’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas) or just want to eye some beautiful objects, check out the Arts & Crafts market behind the Oslo Cathedral this August. Both newly graduated practitioners and established artisans working with glass, ceramics, textiles and metal take part in the market, which will be celebrating its 52nd year. Kirkeristen behind Oslo Cathedral www.kunsthandverksmarkedet.no

Art goes Kapakka (18 to 27 August) Art goes Kapakka is a late-autumn Helsinki classic. After all, can you name a more satisfying combination than great food, drink and arts? The festival consists of multiple events and concerts in restaurants and bars in the region, and is traditionally kicked off by a choral concert on Senaatintori in which, in 2017, more than 2,000 choristers took part. Venues around Helsinki www.artgoeskapakka.fi

current offer. Is street food right up your alley, or would you prefer to learn to make tea cocktails? The little ones are also welcome – why not book a kids’ sushi or marmalade workshop? Venues around Copenhagen copenhagencooking.dk Oulu August Festival (1 to 31 August) This cultural extravaganza is taking over the northern Finnish city of Oulu for the entire month of August. Highlights include the Air Guitar World Championships (yes, really), Oulu Arts Night on 18 August, and a series of macro concerts for small audiences of up to ten people, where participation is by lot. Venues around Oslo www.oulunjuhlaviikot.fi

Enjoy the culinary and auditory arts at Art goes Kapakka. Photo: Antti Rintala Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy (15 to 25 September) Dare we already think about the cold nights drawing in, and the comforts of red-velvet loungers? While the festival programme is yet to be released, pencil the dates into your calendar as Love & Anarchy, organised since 1988, is guaranteed to deliver for fans of the silver screen. Venues around Helsinki www.hiff.fi

Copenhagen Cooking and Food Festival (19 to 28 August) Copenhagen remains one of the world’s most exciting destinations for foodies, and the Cooking and Food Festival is a great opportunity to sample the city’s

Headbanging at the Air Guitar World Championships. Photo: Iina Tauriainen

Scan Magazine Issue 145 August 2022

Published 08.2022 ISSN 1757-9589

Published by Scan Client Publishing

Print H2 Print

Executive Editor Thomas Winther

Creative Director Mads E. Petersen

Editor Lena Hunter

Copy-editor Karl Batterbee Graphic Designer Mercedes Moulia

Cover Photo ROH, photograph by Andrej Uspenski

Contributors Alejandra Cerda Ojensa Alyssa Nilsen Andri Papanicolas Åsa Hedvig Aaberge Emma Rodin Eva-Kristin Urestad Pedersen Gabi Froden Hanna Anderssonn Hanna Heiskanen Hanna Margrethe Enger Heidi Kokborg John Sempill Joy Sable Karen Kristensen Karl Batterbee Linda Thompson Lotta Lassesson Malin Norman Ndela Faye Nicolai Lisberg Nina Bressler Silvia Colombo Synne Johnsson Tina Nielsen Trine Jensen-Martin

Sales & Key Account Managers Emma Fabritius Nørregaard Johan Enelycke Veronica Rafteseth

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