Museum of the Month

Karen Blixen by Jane Sprague.

Museum of the Month, Denmark Vivid new exhibition pays homage to Danish literary icon Karen Blixen

The Karen Blixen Museum, north of Copenhagen, at the beautifully preserved Rungstedlund family estate of the renowned Danish author, is a cultural, historical and ecological oasis. The museum is a living homage to one of Denmark’s most widely translated writers: a vibrant house of literature, hosting talks by writers, artists and researchers on contemporary cultural topics. In October, a fascinating new exhibition of silver, pearl and diamond jewellery, inspired by her novels, will open – shedding new light on Blixen as a captivating storyteller and adventurer.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Karen Blixen Museum

Danish writer Gustava Brandt once described Karen Blixen as “both old fashioned, completely up to date and ahead of her time”, pointing not only to the eminently modern themes of her writing –sexuality and gender, destiny and faith, and our role in nature – but to a free-thinker, climate activist, and career woman who refused to wear the 20th-century straightjacket of gender and class. Blixen was born in 1885. Though she had a privileged childhood at Rungstedlund, she was prevented from attending school with her brothers. Instead, she drew and painted, aspiring to be an artist. Despite it being an unacceptable occupation for women at the time, Blixen spent four years training as an artist, and her pervading aesthetic sense formed the basis of her vivid writing. As a young woman, Blixen could not reconcile herself with the conventions expected of her and was deeply depressed. She took to Africa with her husband to manage a coffee farm but, after 17 years, she returned to Denmark, divorced, ruined and purposeless. Only then, in 1934 at 49 years old, did she pen her first work. Seven Gothic Tales, published under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen, was an unbridled success in America – though it was panned in Denmark for being too liberal. Blixen followed with Out of Africa in 1937 – her best-known work.

A new TV series on Viaplay dramatising her life has rekindled Blixen’s story in the popular imagination, turning the spotlight on Blixen as a cultural and literary figure. “Recently, Karen Blixen has had

something of a renaissance. She was, and still is, a role model for women, and indeed anyone who wonders about their purpose in life,” says museum director Elisabeth Nøjgaard.

Silver Tales: 6 October 2022 – 30 April 2023 On 6 October, a new exhibition at the Karen Blixen Museum, Silver Tales, will shed more new light on Blixen’s work. Co-curated by Nøjgaard and jewellery writer Nina Hald, 40 contemporary jewellery artists and designers have created items in silver, pearl and diamond, inspired by quotes from five of Blixen’s major novels in which jewellery plays a symbolic role.

Blixen’s own jewellery box was modest, but the pieces she wore carried sentimental value, associated with both love and loss. “With these magnificent pieces in silver, pearl and diamond, we have found a different entry into Karen Blixen’s literary universe, through a new artistic challenge,” says Nøjgaard.

“We tell, for example, a story of newly-weds from Winter’s Tales, in which the husband gifts his wife an heirloom pearl necklace. The necklace breaks and, once repaired, he becomes obsessed that his wife should count the pearls to be sure the goldsmith has not cheated them. She refuses – but feels the implication of the theft in its new lightness. When she can no longer resist the urge to count the pearls, she finds there is one more than there should be, and the extra pearl is so large and fantastic, it appears to be worth more than all the rest together.”

“In that process, the wife develops into a stronger, more independent woman, whereas the husband becomes smaller and smaller, obsessed with the necklace and having an heir. In losing the sensuality and marital love that she dreamed for, she’s alone, but strong. She muses on whether they are not in fact pearls, but a golden chain. These are the kinds of richly symbolic stories we explore in Silver Tales.”

Follow in Blixen’s footsteps Elsewhere at Rungstedlund, Blixen’s well-preserved writer’s home is open to the public, decorated with original family furnishings, cherished belongings from her time in Africa, and fresh bouquets of flowers – just as she always had. Here, the permanent exhibition Courage Humour Love tells the vibrant tale of her superb literary works and spectacular life in posters, photos, new documentary films and historic sound recordings.

An ardent ecological activist, Blixen established a 15-hectare bird sanctuary on the Rungstedlund grounds – managed today by the Danish Ornithological Society –in which she is buried. “In doing so, she established a meaningful place for all who ponder on what literature, nature and storytelling can teach us about humankind,” says Nøjgaard.

In September, Queen Margrethe II visited the museum to present the Rungstedlund Prize to Danish writer Peter Høeg for his ‘belief in the authority of the story, great global and historical wingspan, and the mixture of melancholy and laughter that follow in Blixen’s literary footsteps’. As a site of significant cultural heritage, the Karen Blixen Museum continues to inspire – just as Blixen did herself.

Karen Blixen’s typewriter. Photo: Annemette Kuhlmann

www.blixen.dk Instagram: @karenblixenrungstedlund Facebook: Rungstedlund

The chimney room. Photo: Jens Linde Aerial shot. Photo: Peter Leschly

Finding success by breaking the rules: Robert Wells on how to make it in music

Of all the exciting music venues in the world, the Great Wall of China might not be the first to spring to mind. Yet this amazing landmark is just one of the extraordinary places where Robert Wells has played his piano. The Stockholmborn musician has an international following – particularly in China – and he has spent a lifetime bringing music to the masses, revitalising the classics with his unique modern twist. His popular Rhapsody in Rock concerts combine the beauty of classical melodies with the energy of rock and boogie-woogie.

By Joy Sable | Photos: RIR events

Wells’ love of music started young, even though there were no professional musicians in the family. As his parents had divorced while he was still a baby, he spent much of his childhood with his grandmother. “We started to play on the piano when I was four,” he says.

By the time he was seven and had taken up piano lessons, he knew music would be his life. “My first piano teacher – she was the best. She took me under her wing and we had nearly two hours of lessons every week. After the lessons, we played vinyl records by Arthur Rubinstein and other classical artists. That was the best time for me,” he recalls.

A clash of tastes His prodigious talent apparent from an early age, he attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, taking classes after school. “The problem I had was that I already loved boogie-woogie, jazz, pop like Elton John, Status Quo and, of course, ABBA. I had to hide my ABBA sheet music from my teacher! ABBA was the worst thing you could play, back in the ‘70s.”

At 16, Wells was living by himself in Stockholm and playing with bands in pubs in his spare time, whilst working hard at his classical studies. “When my piano professor at the Academy found out that I played pop and jazz too, she was furious, so I had to change professors after the first year. That’s when I realised that you can’t force anyone what to think about music, it must come from your heart.”

It wasn’t snobbery that he encountered at the Academy, but a lack of understanding of other music genres. “They didn’t know anything about pop and rock. It’s so easy to disregard things you don’t like,” he explains. “It’s sad because you miss so many things in music if you are just into one style.”

Gambling on rock Though he was entranced by the classical concerts he attended at the Stockholms Konserthus, he felt something was missing. “I loved every second, but I thought the package was so boring and snobbish. I thought ‘I have to do something when I get older’ – and that’s how Rhapsody in Rock came up.”

Rhapsody in Rock was first performed in 1989. It was a huge gamble for Wells. “I came from a pop career and we played rock clubs, but my dream was to do my Rhapsody, so I rented a big symphony orchestra and we went out to the north of Stockholm. There were 67 on stage but there were only 80 in the audience! If I was a normal person, I would have told myself to quit. Instead, I said to myself ‘it will take time, but it will happen’. And it did.”

Wells has seen his share of career-highs –aside from playing atop the Great Wall of China. He composed the official television theme music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has played in venues as diverse as ice hockey arenas and London’s Royal Albert Hall. He even played on the 2010 Belarusian entry to the Eurovision

Rhapsody Ensemble.

Song Contest – a ballad during which, in a typical display of Eurovision excess, the singers morphed into giant butterflies during the final chorus.

“I was really proud to perform Rhapsody in Rock at the Royal Albert Hall in 2001. That was a huge production. I must admit, I was so nervous because when you walk out of your dressing room, you see all the pictures of the famous stars who have been there before! But it was fun.”

“Listen and learn” Ten years ago, Wells received H.M The King’s Medal for his services to the music industry and for his entrepreneurial work. He has played for the Swedish Royal Family on numerous occasions and this year he received the Stockholm Culture Award. Eager to give something back to the next generation, he has, for the past 12 years, held music camps every summer for youngsters with musical talent.

“I’m pretty hard. I tell them, if you want to be in my camp, you practice, but don’t practice for me – I don’t care – if you want to practice, it is for your own good. If you really don’t want to work professionally, then you don’t have to. You don’t know how many parents hate me! I always tell them, stop pushing your child. Nobody pushed me when I was a kid.” For children who want to pursue a career in music, he has some sound advice: “Listen to your own voice and do exactly what you want to do. When you work together with other people, the most important thing is not to be interesting, but to be interested in others. Listen and learn.”

Wells Temple Of Heaven.

Final Dalhalla 2021. Photo: Ulf Stjernbo

October’s new Scandi music releases By Karl Batterbee

Sister duo PRISMA, hailing from Denmark, have hit new highs with their new single. Delightful in its simple, carefree mission to stimulate the endorphins, Bangs wears all its sonic eccentricities proudly on its sleeve. It’s a tune to rave to – and not fret about how silly you might look while doing it.

Danish artist Bathsheba is back with her latest single Something About Her. It’s a mid-tempo ballad that makes a big impact right away, without ever seeming like it’s trying. This is not just through her intentionally fragile vocal delivery of the song’s rousing melody, but also via the lyrics –which tell the story of her head being unexpectedly turned by, and thoughts consumed by, someone of the same sex.

It’s been half a decade since we last got a solo release out of Norwegian pop icon Bertine Zetlitz. Brand-new single Soft Hurt is an intriguingly composed marvel of a tune with a production that at first seems to be proceeding with caution so as to match the uncertainty spoken of within the lyrics, before evolving into a much more confident beat with echoes of house. It finally blossoms into a banging synthpop soundscape right in time for the all-important middle eight.

Danish songwriter to the stars Søren Emil is out with a brand-new tune of his own – his latest single Where Do You Go Tonight. It’s a pretty cool pop offering that you can fall for in a big way upon the first listen. The song is atmospheric, to the point that it almost borders on unsettling, but the production and his vocals keep a lid on studio tricks to ensure a super-smooth finish.

Let’s finish with a bang! I Feel It In The Wind is the latest release from Swedish duo Smith & Thell. A rip-roaring country-pop romp with a melody that gives the sads, paired with a lyric that encourages hope. Sounds like their next big domestic radio smash – the latest in what’s becoming a long line.

www.scandipop.co.uk

Monthly Illustration Take what you love and leave the rest

By Gabi Froden

I spent the summer in Sweden. Cycling down to the sea for a swim, picking blueberries and exploring a few forest lakes I hadn’t been to – it was a classic Swedish summer.

But something was off. When you don’t live in Sweden all year round and are not part of the Swedish system, you are so clearly on the outside. For example, in Sweden everyone pays with a service that is linked to your phone number. Super easy and straight forward, right? Yes, if you have a Swedish phone number.

To exit the supermarket after you have done your shopping, you need to scan your receipt – a receipt that you most likely just pushed down into your bag and now can’t find because you live abroad and aren’t used to the Swedish level of paranoia in food shops. In Swedish Ikea, you can’t just order a 60p hot dog over the counter. You have to order it at a machine. Sweden loves technology, so much so that it becomes a a hindrance, especially if you don’t live in Sweden. You just feel dumb a lot of the time.

Sometimes, when you feel frustrated by a place you love, you have to remember the things you think are important about that place. Like that there isn’t much rubbish on the streets or at the beach, or how light the sky is in June. There is a magic in the Scandinavian summers that is at odds with everything modern, like complicated receipt systems in supermarkets and advanced, but restrictive, payment methods. So, I pick what I love and focus all my energy on those things. That way, there will always be things to return for, like cycling to the sea, kilogrammes of free blueberries and beautiful, quiet lakes in the forest.

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

Scandinavian Culture Calendar

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

By Hanna Heiskanen

Lahti Symphony Orchestra: FairyTale Concert (13 October) Lahti’s Sibelius Hall impresses with its architecture, but also with its high-quality programme of classical music. The building houses the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, whose fairy-tale inspired concert combining music and animation will appeal to both adults and children this autumn. Two compositions by Maurice Ravel from the ballet Mother Goose are brought to life by animator Grégoire Pont. Ankkurikatu 7, Lahti, Finland www.sibeliustalo.fi Halloween at Tivoli Friheden (15 to 23 October) The Tivoli Friheden amusement park in Aarhus is the ideal destination for a bit of Halloween-themed fun. From hairy spiders to Denmark’s biggest horror ride, an escape room and gruesome extras dressed as apparitions and ghosts, you will be able to choose your thrill – and when it all gets a bit too much, sit down for a cosy bite to eat at one of the food stalls or restaurants, while admiring the decorations. Skovbrynet 5, Aarhus www.friheden.dk MIX Copenhagen Film Festival (21 to 30 October) MIX Copenhagen was organised for the first time in 1986, which makes it one of the world’s oldest LGTBQ+ film festivals. In addition to film screenings and events for industry professionals, the festival also hands out the Lili Award, named after transgender artist Lili Elbe, to the Best Feature, Best Documentary and Best Short Film. This year’s programme is out on 1 October, but you can already listen to the festival’s podcast, called Coming Out of the Celluloid Closet. Venues around Copenhagen www.mixcopenhagen.dk

The Swedish Museum of Performing Arts is a hands-on experience. Photo: Jonas André The Sibelius Hall in Lahti, Finland. Photo: Visit Lahti Photo Library

Royal Swedish Opera: Lunch Concerts (twice a week throughout October) The Royal Swedish Opera is hosting a series of lunch concerts in its eye-catching Golden Foyer this autumn. A 340 SEK ticket covers a tasty lunch and performances by world-class musicians and singers. October dates cover works by Schumann, Schubert and others. Gustav Adolfs torg 2, Stockholm www.operan.se

Swedish Museum of Performing Arts: Guided tour for you and your baby (every Thursday in October) The Swedish Museum of Performing Arts is not only a collection of 50,000 items, but also an interactive and immersive experience for visitors of all ages. Open until mid-January 2023, their current exhibition is the work of photographer Christer Landergren, who documented the Swedish jazz scene. You can also explore the permanent exhibition, On Stage, on 45-minute baby friendly tours which finish with a small performance. Sibyllegatan 2, Stockholm www.scenkonstmuseet.se

In Search of the Present (until 15 January 2023) EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art is always worth the short metro ride from the centre of Helsinki. In Search of the Present, one of several current exhibitions, is a series which began in 2016 and derives its name from a Finnish collection of essays published in the roaring, modernist 1920s. It looks into what connections between art, technology and nature look like in the 21st century. Artificial intelligence, and its potential for humanity, features heavily in the works of the 16 exhibited artists. Ahertajantie 5, Espoo www.emmamuseum.fi

Scan Magazine Issue 147 October 2022

Published 10.2022 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 John Gollings

Contributors Alejandra Cerda Ojensa Celina Tran Emma Rödin Eva-Kristin Urestad Pedersen Gabi Froden Hanna Andersson Hanna Heiskanen Hanna Margrethe Enger John Sempill Joy Sable Karen Kristensen Karl Batterbee Lotta Lassesson Malin Norman Miriam Gradel Molly McPharlin Ndéla Faye Nina Bressler Rune Nyland Synne Johnsson Tina Nielsen Trine Jensen-Martin Xander Brett Åsa Hedvig Aaberge

Sougwen Chung: Assembly Lines (2022). Photo: Paula Virta / EMMA - Espoo Museum of Modern Art

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