Det Pittoreske Bæst
(The Picturesque Beast)
37:26
Synopsis
Det Pittoreske Bæst er en multi-narrativ hybridfilm som følger en antropomorfisk ulveskikkelse, hvis formål bliver at håndgribe den sublime natur. Sat i tidlig guldalder samt parallelt i en ikke så fjern fremtid.
The Picturesque Beast is a multi-narrative hybrid film that follows an anthropomorphic wolf-like figure whose purpose is to capture the sublime nature. Set in the early danish golden age (romantic era) and as well in a parallel not so distant future.
Screenings
April — CPH DOX Official Selection - New Danish Film: Premiere @ Cinemateket Copenhagen, Denmark
May — BFA degree show @ Kunsthal Charlottenborg Copenhagen, Denmark
August — solo presentation and screening @ Brigade Gallery Copenhagen, Denmark
August — Make Friend Not Art: Underbellies @ Bundesallee 213-214 Berlin, Germany
August — New Other Odd screening #2 @ Cantina
Aarhus, Denmark
5th September — Screening @ Zolforosso
Venice, Italy
19th September — Screening @ Partara Gallery
Tbilisi, Georgia
26th September — Screening @ Kunsthal 44
Møn, Denmark
October — Online via Amulet Magasin
Copenhagen, Denmark
Solo show — TBA @ Kerka Gallery
St. Petersburg, Russia
Solo Shows
Drafts of Ecology: SIRENIA, Servando Gallery 2021
Havana, Cuba
Drafts of Ecology/Psyche Interior, Udstillingsstedet Q 2021
Copenhagen, Denmark
BFA Degree Show — The Royal Danish Academy of Fine arts 2021
Copenhagen, Denmark
Dream Structures, Ta-Da Space 2021
Copenhagen, Denmark
Drafts of Ecology/Beastial Fantasy, Patara Gallery 2020
Tbilisi, Georgia
CRITS, Brigade Gallery 2020
Copenhagen, Denmark
Roaming Away On The Pillars Of Consensus, CGK 2018
Copenhagen, Denmark
Group shows
Christmas Salon @ Alice Folker 2021
Copenhagen, Denmark
Make Friend Not Art: Underbellies 2021
@ Bundesallee 213-214
Curated by Caroline Marie Ballegaard
Berlin, Germany
“HUMAN ERR0R”, GMO Gallery 2020
New York, USA (Online)
Staff Only, Salon 75 2020
Copenhagen, Denmark
Rehearsal of The Beast, Rum46 Studsgade 2020
Aarhus, Denmark
The Legend of the Larynx Metamorphosis 2019
Bologna, Italy
Zoom With Your Feet (Make Friends) 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
Homesick Gallery - Fantastic Sunny Apartment And 10 Min To Manhatten 2019
Brooklyn, New York
Learning From (Learning) Albertslund 2019
Albertslund, Denmark
Supermarket Art Fair curated by Ta-Da 2019
Stockholm, Sweden
Pulsar Festival, Udstillingsstedet Q 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
Vibevej Præsenterer: Rentemestervej 69B 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
Førsteårsudstillingen, Udstillingsstedet Q 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning 2018
Copenhagen, Denmark
Calculation LIVE online-performance, Tashkent International Biennale for Contemporary Art 2018
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Båndmagasinet no. 2, The Lake Radio. 2018
Copenhagen, Denmark
Walther & Langgaards Artists Supplies, Delfi 2018
Malmö, Sweden
Nye Rør!, Salon 75 2018
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Don’t Feed The Troll, Salon 75 2018
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Vi Tager Intet Ansvar 5, Kræ Syndikatet & Warehouse9 2017
Copenhagen, Denmark
Flerdagesdrøm festival 2017
Slangerup, Denmark
Ingen Jury, Ingen Præmier, Salon 75 2017
Frederiksberg, Denmark
In The Gallery #10 No Title, Carlsberg Byens Galleri & Kunstsalon 2017
Copenhagen, Denmark
Spring Exhibition Charlottenborg 2017
Copenhagen, Denmark
Krystalpaladset, Odensemusikbibliotek 2017
Odense, Denmark
Drafts of Ecology:
SIRENIA
@ Servando Gallery
Theodor Nymark
Drafts of Ecology: SIRENIA.
The name Sirenia, derives from the latin family of manatees and also refers to the perceived relation between manatees and mermaids, as the early explorers and colonialists reported seeing humanoid sea-creatures similar on their travels.
The Spanish were of course not the first to arrive in the Caribbean and what seemed novel, even magical, to the newcomers was already an ingrained part of the historic cultures of the region.
Researchers of aboriginal culture and marine biology has long discussed the relation between the native people of the Caribien islands and the creature of the manatee (specifically the West Indian Manatee - Trichechus manatus) and have argued that the original cultures of the Caribbean not only hunted and ate the manatee (in a sustainable manner). More importantly their research attest to the significant spiritual relation the large and magnificent sea mammal have had, with an academic consensus that the aboriginals saw the creature as a potent liminal being – straddling both the boundary between sea and land and that between life and death.
It is these entry-points that the Danish artist Theodor Nymark has used as the basis for his new series of art works, where he investigates the cultural significance of the manatee population in the Caribbean and poses the significant question of whether the conservation of wildlife manatees could also be a step forward in the conservation of the aboriginal Caribbean culture?
To initiate his project Nymark has approached his subject-matter through the lens of geo-mythology - the study of alleged references to geological (or ecological) events in mythology. By using the concept of geo-mythology Nymark explores the relation between political, ecological and societal structures and mythological and spiritual traditions and narratives.
Primarily one question has come to the fore and has been posed to two academic researchers (a biologist & archeologist): What Happened To the Manatee Population?
This pivotal question forms the core of the exhibition and is further explored in the central video-piece of the exhibition. The resulting cinematic and documentaristic film-work revolves around two primary scenes: an interview between an archaeologist with years of expertise in aboriginal Caribbean cultures and a marine biologist with expertise in manatees — and a musical ceremony on boat at Marina Hemingway where a manatee was recently spotted by local fisherman despite having allegedly disappeared from the island.
Drafts of Ecology: SIRENIA.
The name Sirenia, derives from the latin family of manatees and also refers to the perceived relation between manatees and mermaids, as the early explorers and colonialists reported seeing humanoid sea-creatures similar on their travels.
The Spanish were of course not the first to arrive in the Caribbean and what seemed novel, even magical, to the newcomers was already an ingrained part of the historic cultures of the region.
Researchers of aboriginal culture and marine biology has long discussed the relation between the native people of the Caribien islands and the creature of the manatee (specifically the West Indian Manatee - Trichechus manatus) and have argued that the original cultures of the Caribbean not only hunted and ate the manatee (in a sustainable manner). More importantly their research attest to the significant spiritual relation the large and magnificent sea mammal have had, with an academic consensus that the aboriginals saw the creature as a potent liminal being – straddling both the boundary between sea and land and that between life and death.
It is these entry-points that the Danish artist Theodor Nymark has used as the basis for his new series of art works, where he investigates the cultural significance of the manatee population in the Caribbean and poses the significant question of whether the conservation of wildlife manatees could also be a step forward in the conservation of the aboriginal Caribbean culture?
To initiate his project Nymark has approached his subject-matter through the lens of geo-mythology - the study of alleged references to geological (or ecological) events in mythology. By using the concept of geo-mythology Nymark explores the relation between political, ecological and societal structures and mythological and spiritual traditions and narratives.
Primarily one question has come to the fore and has been posed to two academic researchers (a biologist & archeologist): What Happened To the Manatee Population?
This pivotal question forms the core of the exhibition and is further explored in the central video-piece of the exhibition. The resulting cinematic and documentaristic film-work revolves around two primary scenes: an interview between an archaeologist with years of expertise in aboriginal Caribbean cultures and a marine biologist with expertise in manatees — and a musical ceremony on boat at Marina Hemingway where a manatee was recently spotted by local fisherman despite having allegedly disappeared from the island.
The interview seeks to explore and investigate the relation between ecology and culture and how, through the lens of geo- mythology, the concept of nature is inherited by the people and cultures that inhabit it. Likewise the interview seeks to give the voice to the experts who actually have the knowledge at hand rather than speculating on it from the uninformed perspective of an outsider.
The ceremony on the boat forms a tribute to the lost manatees. A captain, smoking a cigar sails famous latin musician Julio Padron around a harbour. Meanwhile Julio plays in intervals and circulates back and forth between emulating the underwater sounds made by manatees and mixing with latin-cuban jazz traditions. This gesture seeks to reestablish and reinforce our relation to manatees through the animistic ritual of becoming one with the environment.
Alongside these two primary elements there is also footage of artisan Yuri Romero Penalver’s workshop and his practice, as well as underwater and nature footage by photographer Alejandro Reyes. Both serve to reinforce the original habitats of manatees that has sustained the ritual practices surrounding its populations.
Because of the broad, and at times disparaging, fields of investigation, Nymark’s exhibition at Servando Gallery deploys different sculptural and pictorial outputs which are primarily connected through their shared Cuban locality. These works vary from painterly practices dealing with traditional cuban music culture and dancing, to reconstructions of ceremonial manatee ribs made by artisan Yuri Romero Penalver and his colleagues. Likewise, museumlike displays of aluminum boats created by local artisan, Cochelata are exhibited within a box constructed of materials, found or made locally in Havana and juxtaposed with a map of the area in which the shooting of parts of the film took place.
As material resources are in scarcity due to many different factors, all materials have been chosen for their relation to Cuban culture - the aluminium boat point towards a sustainable and material acknowledgment where all materials have an inherit aesthetic value. Similarly, the different kinds of wood for used for the manatee rib reconstructions are native to the island of Cuba. By working with local artisans, Nymark’s hope is to advocate for a local and sustainable production of art, where local artisans may present their individual practice and also engage in new collaborations to develop the language of contemporary and historical Cuba further.
The exhibition can therefore be seen as a wish to decentralize artistic practices and source knowledge from local actors rather than presenting the artist as an individual genius and originator of everything presented. After all, we are always stronger united.
Michael Bank Christoffersen
2021. Havana, Cuba
Courtesy Theodor Nymark (Denmark, 1997)
Servando Gallery, Havana 2021
Produced by: Brigade Residencia Habana
The ceremony on the boat forms a tribute to the lost manatees. A captain, smoking a cigar sails famous latin musician Julio Padron around a harbour. Meanwhile Julio plays in intervals and circulates back and forth between emulating the underwater sounds made by manatees and mixing with latin-cuban jazz traditions. This gesture seeks to reestablish and reinforce our relation to manatees through the animistic ritual of becoming one with the environment.
Alongside these two primary elements there is also footage of artisan Yuri Romero Penalver’s workshop and his practice, as well as underwater and nature footage by photographer Alejandro Reyes. Both serve to reinforce the original habitats of manatees that has sustained the ritual practices surrounding its populations.
Because of the broad, and at times disparaging, fields of investigation, Nymark’s exhibition at Servando Gallery deploys different sculptural and pictorial outputs which are primarily connected through their shared Cuban locality. These works vary from painterly practices dealing with traditional cuban music culture and dancing, to reconstructions of ceremonial manatee ribs made by artisan Yuri Romero Penalver and his colleagues. Likewise, museumlike displays of aluminum boats created by local artisan, Cochelata are exhibited within a box constructed of materials, found or made locally in Havana and juxtaposed with a map of the area in which the shooting of parts of the film took place.
As material resources are in scarcity due to many different factors, all materials have been chosen for their relation to Cuban culture - the aluminium boat point towards a sustainable and material acknowledgment where all materials have an inherit aesthetic value. Similarly, the different kinds of wood for used for the manatee rib reconstructions are native to the island of Cuba. By working with local artisans, Nymark’s hope is to advocate for a local and sustainable production of art, where local artisans may present their individual practice and also engage in new collaborations to develop the language of contemporary and historical Cuba further.
The exhibition can therefore be seen as a wish to decentralize artistic practices and source knowledge from local actors rather than presenting the artist as an individual genius and originator of everything presented. After all, we are always stronger united.
Michael Bank Christoffersen
2021. Havana, Cuba
Courtesy Theodor Nymark (Denmark, 1997)
Servando Gallery, Havana 2021
Produced by: Brigade Residencia Habana
Drafts of Ecology: Sirenia — 2-channel - 55 min. video installation
Director: Theodor Nymark
Producer: Ailín G. Brunet
Cinematographer: Alejandro Reyes
Sound: Soledad Sánchez Vidal
Editor: Alejandro Reyes, Soledad Sánchez & Theodor Nymark
Music: Julio Padrón & Theodor Nymark
Translator & Subtitles: Beatriz Viñas
Director: Theodor Nymark
Producer: Ailín G. Brunet
Cinematographer: Alejandro Reyes
Sound: Soledad Sánchez Vidal
Editor: Alejandro Reyes, Soledad Sánchez & Theodor Nymark
Music: Julio Padrón & Theodor Nymark
Translator & Subtitles: Beatriz Viñas
Protagonistas / Starring:
Yuri Romero Peñalver, Artesano/Artisan
Julio Padrón, Trompeta / Jazz Trumpetist
Ryan Bethancourt Ávila, Especialista en Manatíes / Manatee Specialist
Daniel Torres Etayo, Dr. Arqueólogo / Phd. Archeologist
Michel Domínguez García, Patrón/ Captain
Costillas Sirena No. 1
Guayaba wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 2
Jocuma Amarilla wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 3
Guayaba wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 4
Guayacán wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 5
Pino Tea wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 6
Majagua wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 7
Mango wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 8
Yarua wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 9
Majagua wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
Costillas Sirena No. 10
Yana wood, metal clamp and laser cut plexiglass.
El Gabinete Del Marina ( Theodor Nymark & Irenado Chochelata)
Ink on MDF, laser-cut plexiglass, miniature water texture, aluminum and Television imitation LED lamp.2021
Tabla De Baile No. 1
Ink and laser-cut plexiglass on canvas
2021
Tabla De Baile No. 2
Ink and laser-cut plexiglass on canvas
2021
Tabla De Baile No. 3
Ink and laser-cut plexiglass on canvas
2021
Tabla De Baile No. 4
Ink and laser-cut plexiglass on canvas
2021
Tabla De Baile No. 5
Ink and laser-cut plexiglass on canvas
2021
Instalación en colaboración con/Produced in collaboration with
Yuri Romero e Irenado “Cochelata”
Arístides Serrano Cedeño
Tomas Kessel Barrabeitg
Ordanys Castillo Pedroso
Roberto García Expósito
Daniel Jardines
Wilfredo Cobas Dávila
Agradecimientos para / Special Thanks:
Carlos César Castañeda Coca
Pedro Antonio Durán Fernández
Lázaro Zamora Jo
Missael Guerra Rodríguez
Yuri Romero e Irenado “Cochelata”
Arístides Serrano Cedeño
Tomas Kessel Barrabeitg
Ordanys Castillo Pedroso
Roberto García Expósito
Daniel Jardines
Wilfredo Cobas Dávila
Agradecimientos para / Special Thanks:
Carlos César Castañeda Coca
Pedro Antonio Durán Fernández
Lázaro Zamora Jo
Missael Guerra Rodríguez
Brigade Havana Residency
Kristoffer Saxild, Director
Michael Bank Christoffersen, Artistic Director
Ailín G. Brunet, Residency GM.
Galería Servando
Olga Lidia Triana, Directora
Gretel Castillo, Especialista principal
Delia Alonso, Veladora
Génesis Galerías de Arte
Jorge Alfonso García, Director General