by Carl Frederik Waage Beck on marts 26, 2011
Springtime on Bornholm
We have finally set up camp. Not only that, I have committed to start in a new position as the social marketing guy at destinationen. It’s the perfect crime – doing what I love and getting paid for it. What’s more, the product I’m selling is the island I love – Bornholm.
Bornholm has had a tough time ever since the primary industry, fishery, shut down during the 80s. Several other major work places are now gone, tilemaking closed, agriculture has become machine run. The population peaked at fifty some thousand after WW2, but is now around 43000 and diving.
Tourism accounts for just shy of 9% of the local economy and unemployment fluctuates wildly between winter and summer when most of the temp jobs are available.
Tourism, and its derived effects, is now one of the main job creators. Boosting tourism and attracting visitors is therefore one of the best ways of making the local economy grow organically. I’m proud to be a part of this mission, and I draw huge motivation from it.
What else could be done to boost Bornholm?
Take a look at the swedish island of Gottland. The Swedes have a better understanding of what it takes to sustain the outer rims of their country. Massive subsidies of transportation, mainly ferries, placement of higher education institutions have made it more attractive for businesses to settle and for high school graduates to stay put.
Sure help from parliament would be instrumental, but as they say, change starts from within. I’m going to work on April 4th.
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by Carl Frederik Waage Beck on oktober 6, 2010
In preparing for the exhibition due next year I am often asked the question, “Why do you paint the Danish political leaders?”
True to tradition I can’t help but include some indignation in my exhibitions, and the upcoming one – “The Candidates” – won’t be an exception. The next Danish general election is due no later than November 16th 2011, and I thought an exhibition would be a brilliant occasion to zoom in on the electoral options.
Who do we want leading this nation?
Power demands humility, but sadly, power has been wielded with anything but Humility in the recent history of this country. As the opposing virtue of the most deadly cardinal sin Superbia or Pride, Humility is a rarity among politicians who fight each other to become the prom-queen of Parliament. In other words, who can look more attractive and important to the electorate?
There is one candidate that stands out however.
Defined by Dante as “love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one’s neighbour.” Pride is probably best witnessed when looking at the behaviour of the queen of a certain national socialist party a.k.a. The Danish People’s Party.
Since 2001 the DPP has had the unique power of being able to tip the scales, and thus possessed a strong bargaining position which it has not been slow to exploit at any opportunity to tighten the laws on immigrants and refugees. This can hardly be described as Humility.
For these deeds the leader of the DPP Pia Kærsgaard is awarded the sin “Pride – Superbia”, and will have her very own according portrait painted at the exhibition “The Candidates” in February.
Until then you have to make make do with a simple photo of her from the DPP campaign that is running at the moment. The painted portrait will surprise and delight, so join the exhibition!
Stay tuned to see who wins the remaining 6 awards:
Avaritia – Greed
Luxuria – Lust
Invidia – Envy
Gula – Gluttony
Ira – Wrath
Acedia – Sloth
…and who, if any, dodges the award…
Enjoy!
Continue to read about the Cardinal sin Wrath
The current way DPP shows off it's leader.
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by Carl Frederik Waage Beck on september 30, 2010
“Don’t take away My Saturdays”, 60×80 cm, acrylic and permanent marker on canvas, 2010, 6000 kr.
The Internet is doing to galleries what a bomb would do to the Fields Mall.
Sure, some brick and mortar stores still have relevance – much in the same way real world art shows still make sense. But galleries are doomed to lose their role as gatekeeper for the artist as well as the collector. Artists will find ways to host their own shows as oneoffs with established galleries or in empty storefronts. Paying the rent creates a need for cash upfront, but control and sales income remain with the artist.
As an artist, it more and more looks like a losing deal to surrender 50% of sales in return for hapless marketing and real estate on a physical gallery wall. Smart artists around the globe are now using their tech skills to connect directly with collectors as well as establish a permanent online record of their artistic activities. Instead of leaving a printed resume in a pile of similar ones at the gallery, Blogging is a powerful tool for documenting and communicating the artistic journey.
The balance of power is shifting back towards the artist and the collector. In this relationship the brand of the artist becomes everything as he performs to the dispersed audience of thousands of individuals.
But about the painting above – this is the next one in the lineup from the series “War is Coming Home” featuring scenes of war in our home country. What happens in the aftermath of terror? People stay home… Denmark is increasingly finding itself in the top of the list when terrorists want to make a statement. Maybe it’s time to rethink our foreign policy…
Enjoy!
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by Carl Frederik Waage Beck on september 29, 2010
“In Charge” (Helle Thorning Schmidt and Stephen Kinnock), 200×140 cm., 2010, Oil pastel and acrylic on Canvas, 22.000 kr.
On Sep 16th. the Danish IRS exonerated Helle Thorning-Schmidt and her husband Stephen Kinnock.
It seems all is well that ends well. Except for the fact that our political system is still bancrupt and politics has nothing to do with fighting for the good of the people and everything to do with protecting power and income.
3 questions remain:
1. Why do politicians continue to bribe and slander when their energy should be spent listening and leading?
2. When will the press own up to it’s political leanings and admit when it’s pursuing agendas?
3. Why vote for any politician that has too much at stake not to have the balls to lead?
The current state of demoCRAZY is forcing any sane person to stay at home come the next election. Even though it’s a silent support of the incumbent, what is the alternative?
Left and right is now vying for the middle ground and taking turns bribing the electorate with any and all trick in the book. Government is bending over for the soap whenever they need the help of the national-socialists a.k.a. Danish Peoples Party to pass another state budget.
The term “Independent Press” has never seemed more like a charade. This was aptly demonstrated in the tax scandal raised against Helle T-S. The right-leaning tabloid BT brought the “story” to the surface while the left leaning former broadsheet Politiken fought to suppress it and defend Helle. The outcome of the matter became irrelevant when the two papers didn’t even have the integrity to admit their real political agendas. No wonder print is dying. Content and integrity is EVERYTHING.
Pointing the proverbial 3 fingers at myself (and the rest of the electorate), Why do we even waste our time going to the polls? Next election is due no later than november 16th. 2011. Will I believe next time that it matters? Will you? If not, this state has a serious problem.
Let me take this opportunity to promote an alternative. My next exhibition “The Candidates” opens in central Copenhagen in February/March 2011. Come, eat and drink, chat with friends, and most importantly VOTE for your Candidate. Each Candidate will be represented with their own painting, one of which is revealed above this text. More information will follow here on this blog as the date approaches. If you want to make certain you receive an invitation then sign up for the newsletter “Studionotes” in the top right corner.
Enjoy!
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by Carl Frederik Waage Beck on september 27, 2010
I don’t get out much these days, as I usually stay at home to take care of the kids.
Having finished a few paintings in the “War is Coming Home” series, something got me thinking about the lives of the Talibans or talibs if you will.
What are they like, and what’s the deal, you know – really… Some light research ensued and, tadaah!
So here goes – The top 10 list of things you probably didn’t know about Taliban:
10: The Taliban consists mainly of Mujahideen and as it were, former allies of the West.
9: Many Talibs actually do smoke, regardless of what Mullah Omar says,
8: The majority of the Taliban movement is made up of Pashtun tribemembers practicing the moral code “Pashtun Wali” which has hospitality as one of it’s cornerstones.
7: The Taliban established an Ombudsman in 2009.
6: While not in combat, the Taliban enjoy a good game of rock-throwing.
5: The Taliban numbered roughly 45.000 in 2001, 11.000 in 2008 and 36.000 in 2010.
4: Ahmad Shah Massoud (Leader of the opposing United Front/Northern Alliance) stated in 2001 that without help from Pakistan, the Taliban would not be able to sustain their military campaign for a year – Since 2001 Pakistan has received 11,5 bln. USD in military aid from the United States.
3: On october 4 2001, Pakistan refused an offer from the Taliban to have Osama Bin Laden handed over for trial on the grounds that Pakistan could not guarantee his safety.
2: Few Talibs have ever read the Koran, but rather learn it by heart verbally.
1: Since 2004 the Taliban has been known as the “Islamic Insurgency”.
I find myself just a tad better informed now, hope you do too.
The painting below “Forever after Silent” is the third in the series “War is Coming Home”. If you’re from anywhere around Copenhagen you might recognize the backdrop.
Enjoy!
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Founder of the "Copenhagen Stuckists", Carl Beck has since 2005 emerged as a controversial community activist artist working under the pseudonym "Paintshooter"
As a former FX-trader in the global currency markets, Carl Beck has now turned his attention to the individual in a globalized world. The work of Carl Beck has hung in group and solo shows in Denmark and France. 
