Olafur Eliasson

12.10.2002 - 30.11.2002
Olafur Eliasson
The view that never thinks

From October 12 to November 30 Galleri Kirke Sonnerup  will show an extensive exhibition by Danish/Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.

The exhibition consists exclusively of photographic works made from 1993 to 2002.

The title of the exhibition, ”The view that never thinks”, refers to Olafur Eliasson‚s encounter with the landscape of Icelandic nature.

As Eliasson expresses it himself: Among other things I am preoccupied with what it is that constitutes a space. Is it created through our presence as viewers and the way we perceive it? How are we integrated in this creative process? Is essential
for me that every single work is given the possibility of evaluating its own position and role in relation to things, people or nature. Therefore my works only exist when there is a viewer present. Which possibilities do we have of perceiving ourselves from
the outside? In order for us to find directions in something as abstract as society I think we need tools of some sort and art could be such a tool.
(From an interviewwith the Danish newspaper Politiken, 2002)

Olafur Eliasson started out at the Royal Art Academy in  Copenhagen in 1988. He moved to Cologne in 1993, where he had his fist solo exhibition at the Lukas &Hoffmann gallery. Today he lives in Berlin where he is associated with the trend setting gallery Gallerie Neugerriemschneider.

In 1995 curator Francesco Bonami invited Eliasson among others to participate in the  exhibition ”Campo” in Venice. The exhibition, which consisted exclusively of photographic works, became the starting signal for a whole new generation of significant artists working internationally.

Olafur Eliasson will represent Denmark at next year‚s biennale in Venice. Furthermore he is to exhibit solo at Tate Modern in London as well as at Osaka Museum in Japan and Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid.

Olafur Eliasson has participated in important exhibition at the Guggenheim (New York), The Museum of Modern Art (New York), Art Institute Chicago and Kunsthalle Bielefeld.

Kirke Sonnerup Gallery, which is a part of Stalke Gallery in Copenhagen opened in April, and ”The view that never thinks” is the second exhibition at the gallery. Olafur Eliasson grew up in the area around the town of Holbaek, close to here Kirke  Sonnerup Gallery is now located. And three years ago Holbaek acquired a large  outdoor pavilion by Eliasson for the municipality‚s beach park. Today the pavilion  stands as a beautiful landmark of the town. This local affiliation makes it an even greater pleasure to present Olafur Eliasson in our new gallery.




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