Now is the time for all you fine art photography buffs to swing by the V1 Gallery in Copenhagens very own MEPA district – Kødbyen.
V1 is hosting a joint exhibition of works by two up and coming artists that both have an eye for the human form.

As the press material states, Matthew Stone is such a promising artist that The Sunday Times has named him the most influential British artist under 30. Norman Rosenthal – famed curator and organiser of the controversial “Sensation” exhibit at the Royal Academy – has compared Stone to a young Hirst.
In short, Stone is not your everyday amateur photographer.

Asger Carlsen is not a stranger at the V1 gallery. Although the Dane works and lives in New York City, he has guested the V1 six times in the past five years. I guess that’s what you call an in-house artist.

Carlsen contributes “Wrong” – a series of doctored photos that at first glance look like the everyday snapshots we all manage to catch on the holiday to Rome or at grandmas birthday. The point of entry for Carlsen seems to be to make the viewer question reality. Are things really what they seem? Carlsen creates morphed images that depict people with duplicate faces, an MC rider with wooden legs and beachscapes inhabited by huge styrofoam blobs.

Many of the photos inspire laughs and smiles, some are plain ugly and for some I think V1’s introducing text puts it accurately by using the phrase “I wish I could Un-see this”.

In my opinion Carlsens theme has been tested thoroughly before, and I am not incredibly shaken by the idea that someone possibly tries to sell me something or manipulate me everytime I open a magazine. A number of television and viral ad campaigns spring to mind already, just think of Carlsbergs ping pong penguins and you get the picture.
As far as contemporary relevancy goes, this is a bit 2005-ish.

I have to give Carlsen credit for his photshop skills and choice of motif. I can’t tell whether he decides beforehand and has a composition in mind or just sorts through his archive of snapshots and picks out which ones to work on.
I suspect it’s a little bit of both. Especially the works of people with wooden legs look preconcieved and must have been created by repeated shots at the same location and then a bunch of layer masking in photoshop.

Bottom line: Carlsens photos are interesting and funny. they inspire a moment of contemplation, but the concept
gets old fast, and I quickly wonder if the dog knows other tricks.
A few photos have a nice aesthetics about them, but the majority make me want to vomit. But if you’re into weird, then there’s plenty to indulge in here.

Whereas Carlsen doctors the surreal, Matthew Stone focuses on human reality – close up.
His photoseries “Bodylanguage” hides nothing as it explores the human shape. Stone molds landscapes by twisting his models in every which way. Most of his photos are set in a controlled lighting environment with clear reference to Man Ray and Mapplethorpe. In that respect there is not much new under the sun – or clothes.

Some of the more interesting works are photos set in a gridlike frame. These cubicle shaped grids are displayed on the floor and create a 3rd dimension that is interesting for a subject like photography. This effect is mirrored in the cropping of some of the wall hung photos. These create a 3rd dimension in itself, and the resulting cubes appear as though they had different photos on each side.

I find Stones’ landscapes intrinsically interesting – hypnotic in fact. They have a visual quality about them that sucks the viewer in. Details abound. The sharpness and resolution forces me to look closer and inspect every little goosebump on the thighs of these naked bodies.

Are naked bodies relevant in 2010? The controversy issue must be dead by now, but Stones bodyscapes invoke emotions and a sense of curiosity that can never be irrelevant. As far as aesthetics go – Stone’s got me hooked.

The exhibition closes May 1st. Opening hours: Wednesday-Friday: 12-18. Saturday: 12-16.

Enjoy!

I used to cringe whenever I heard someone say “I can’t wait till friday” in my old job.
Even worse when I was occaionally lured into the choir of: “When I turn 40 I’ll sell my company and have drinks on the beach” Or “I’m just going to play golf when I retire”

Made me feel like I was wasting my time doing spreadsheets.

Waiting for friday could be a long time, is all I’m saying.
Sure, living like there’s no tomorrow gets old fast, but balance the hamsterwheel and indulgence?
Friday night indulgence below, Enjoy!

T.G.I.F. (Thank God It’s Friday) from Artworks by Carl Frederik Waage Beck

The exhibition “Bottom out?” opened yesterday evening and I am thrilled that so many great people shared the experience. Thank you all for making it a fun event!

I’ll be posting pictures from the opening as soon as I get them off my cousins Camera. Thanks for helping out Niels!

If there is one thing this path of painting has shown me, it’s that long working hours are not the same as overtime. Overtime doesn’t exist when it’s my own time.

Below a little cartoonish piece from the exhibit, I’ll be posting more of these in the coming weeks as well.
Enjoy!

Just Another Gallery

inviterer Dem med ledsager til

ferniseringen:

“Bottom Out?”

“Inverted Girl” from Artworks by Carl Frederik Waage Beck

Phrasal Verb: [bottom out]: To descend to the lowest point possible, after which only a rise may occur…

See: U.S. subprime mortgage crisis.

bot·tomn.: The trousers or short pants of pajamas. Often used in the plural.

Informal:The buttocks.

Fredag d. 2. Oktober 2009

kl. 18.00-20.00

Der vil blive serveret vådt og knastørt.

Nye malerier af:

Paintshooter

Med venlig hilsen

Carl Frederik Waage Beck

Udstillingen er herefter åben: 3. Oktober – 8. Oktober kl. 16:00-19:00

Just Another Gallery har denne gang til huse i:

Oehlenschlægersgade 53A – 1663 København V

Tlf. 30244442 info@paintshooter.dk paintshooter.dk

facebook.com/paintshooter

Vis stort kort

Back to the naked theme: I’m planning a new exhibit this fall somewhere i Copenhagen!
Stay tuned for more info and updates….

So, I am super thrilled to unveil a new painting in the “Naked People” series: “Inverted girl”
Enjoy!
Best regards, Carl

“Inverted girl” from Artworks by Carl Frederik Waage Beck

One of the things that struck me, is that sometimes you don’t really need a new style, or a new approach to painting. Sometimes it’s actually perfectly right what your doing already. All you have to do is go on.

Just paint another person. Or as Warhol (as I remember it) put it: “it’s like a surgeon who doesn’t really care about who he does, as long as he gets to operate, I don’t care who I paint, as long as I get to make a portrait.”

This series below is a testament to that.

Best regards, Carl

I am happy to be able to tell you that the church council on monday decided to cooperate and let the 50 Iraqis stay in Brorsons Church.

This will not influence the reception in celebration of the “Frelservalg / saviour 2009” exhibition being held on thursday 28th from 5 pm-8 pm. I hope to see you all!

Best regards.

Carl

Below is an excerpt from a support site http://kirkeasyl.dk/ that discusses why this action was taken and how you can contrbute.

The Danish government has signed a repatriation agreement with the Iraqi authorities, and will begin the dispatch of the 282 Iraqi asylum seekers, who have been living at Danish asylum centres for many years. We are a group of people who neither can, nor will tolerate the dispatches. For this reason we support the group of Iraqi people who have applied for asylum in “Vor Frue” (ed: now Brorsons) church in Copenhagen.

As citizens, we must take action, when the Danish authorities fail in protecting people who need protection.

Our demand is permanent residence, since:

• Iraq is a country in war and chaos. Going back, the Iraqi risk their lives.
• Denmark took part in starting the war in Iraq. We have a direct responsibility for the tragic situation, and for a situation where it has not been possible for the Iraqis to go back.
• The Iraqis have wasted enough years. The Iraqi refugees have waited for up to 10 years in the centres. These have been years where they have been living in fear for their future. Years, where their children have grown up in Denmark. Years, where humans and minds have been worn out. We have to give them back their lives.
• Previous dispatches have revealed that the Danish authorities send people back without taking any responsibility for their lives.

Who can take part? Anyone who can vouch for this statement and who wants to be part of ensuring permanent residency for the Iraqis.

Den danske regering har underskrevet en hjemsendelsesaftale med de irakiske myndigheder og vil påbegynde udsendelser af de 282 irakiske asylansøgere, der i mange år har siddet på danske asylcentre. Derfor bakker vi, en gruppe der ikke kan eller vil finde os i udvisningerne, op om den gruppe irakere, der har søgt asyl i Brorsons Kirke i København.

Når de danske myndigheder fejler i at beskytte mennesker, der har behov for det, må vi som borgere træde til. Den danske befolknings solidaritet er afgørende for irakernes mulighed for opholdstilladelse.

Vores krav er opholdtilladelse til irakerne fordi:

• Irak er et land i krig og kaos. Irakerne risikerer døden ved at tage tilbage.
• Danmark var med til at starte krigen i Irak. Vi har direkte medansvar for den tragiske situation, og for at irakerne ikke har kunnet rejse tilbage.
• Irakerne har spildt nok år. De irakiske flygtninge har ventet i mange år – nogle mere end 10 år i centrene. År hvor de har frygtet for deres fremtid, hvor deres børn er vokset op i Danmark, hvor mennesker og psyker er slidt ned. Vi må give dem deres liv tilbage.
• Tidligere udvisninger har vist at de danske myndigheder sender mennesker tilbage, uden at tage nogen for form ansvar for deres videre skæbne.

Hvem kan være med: Alle som kan stå inde for dette grundlag og vil være med til at sikre irakerne permanent opholdstilladelse.

اللجوء في الكنيسةـ اسمحوا للاجئين العراقيين بالبقاء

وقعت الحومة الدنماركية اتفاق ارجاع قسري للاجئين مع الحكومة العراقية، وتنوي المباشرة بارسال ٢٨٢ من طالبي اللجوء العراقيين، الذين بقوا في معسكرات اللجوء الدنماركية لسنوات طويلة. نحن مجموعة من الناس التي لا تستطيع ولا تحتمل الابعاد القسري هذا. ولهذا السبب نحن ندعم المجموعة العراقية التي طلبت اللجوء في كنيسة “سيدتنا العذراء” في كوبنهاكن.

كمواطنين دنماركيين يجب ان نقوم بما يلزم، حين تقدم الحكومة الدنماركية على عدم حماية الناس المحتاجين للحماية. ان مساندة الشعب الدنماركي حاسمة في امكانية حصول اللاجئين العراقيين على اقامة.

نحن نطالب باعطاء اقامة للاجئين العراقيين للاسباب التالية:

ـ العراق في حالة حرب وفوضى، والعراقيون يتعرضون لخطر الموت في حالة عودتهم

ـ كانت الدنمارك مع القوات التي ابتدات الحرب، ونحن نتحمل بذلك المسؤولية المباشرة لهذه الحالة الماساوية، وكذلك المسؤولية في ان العراقيين لا يستطيعون العودة

.

ـ لقد بدد اللاجئون العراقيون عدد كاف من السنوات، فقد انتظروا لسنوات طويلة، البعض اكثر من عشر سنوات، كانوا خلالها خائفين على مستقبلهم، وكبر خلالها اطفالهم في الدنمارك، التي سحق فيها الانسان وتدهورت حالته النفسية، لذا يجب علينا ان نعيد لهم حياتهم

.

ـ ان اجراءات الابعاد القسري السابقة اثبتت ان السلطات الدنماركية تعيد الناس قسريا، دون ان تتحمل اي نوع من المسؤولية حول مصيرهم بعدها.

من يمكنه ان يكون معنا:

كل من يستطيع ان يتبنى هذا المبدا، ويساند حصول اللاجئين العراقيين على اقامة دائمة

Please spread the word and forward the danish versioned pdf of the invitation below.
Danish invitation

At the exhibition you will be able to cast your vote in the “2009 Saviour” election as well as enjoy some wine and good company. If you can’t make it then please dont hesitate to vote in the poll to the right of this screen.

Heres a map showing the location

Looking forward to seeing you all.

Best regards, Carl

Tomorrow I will load the 3×34 van and head off to Brorson. Hope to have all the paintings hanging before afternoon.

Once again please forward this invitation to everyone you know, it really helps getting the word out.

Thanks!

best regards, Carl

My intention with this exhibition is to provoke reflection on the notion of salvation. Who is your saviour? Is it Jesus? Is it Barack Obama or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Is it you or your neighbour?

Stay tuned on this blog for more exhibition-teasers and information.

You can cast your vote in this election by clicking the poll on the right side of this blog, or show up in Brorsons Church. Follow the vote by typing your email here or subscribe to my feed.

And remember to participate in the debate on who should win, by posting a comment below!
Candidates:

Below is a short description of each candidate:

Barack Obama – US president

Ayaan Hirsi Ali – Somali womenrights fighter

Christopher Hitchens – Antitheist

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Iranian president

Angelina Jolie – Actress

Jean-Claude Trichet – President of the European Centralbank

Warren Buffet – The worlds wealthiest man