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…
“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!
There was a time when a politician was a person you elected to lead your country.
You elected this person because of the ideals and principles she represented.
You elected this person because you wanted her to enact change.
At the end of the term, you re-elected her if you still believed in her.
There was a time when a politician was a person who wanted to lead the country.
She ran for election because she believed in ideals and principles.
She ran for election because she wanted to change the world.
At the end of the term she was re-elected if she had been true to her ideals and principles.
There was a time when being a politician was a vocation and a privilege.
There was a time when leadership was about doing what’s right for the country.
There was a time when fearing the judgment of the people made you unfit to lead.
There was a time when politicians were judged by their ability to lead.
What else do you need to know about your politician?
so yesterday was the big day at Brorsons, and I had a blast as did hopefully everyone else present. Thank you all for coming!!! This event would have been nothing without you )
Lots of friends and family showed up, as well as some people that were new to my paintings.
The end result of the vote is still to be tallied within the next few days as we are nearing sunday 7th of June. This day is also the day of the vote for the European parliament, so there is still a chance to cast your vote here on the blog in the right hand side of the screen!
One painting was sold: ” Can I have one More” (Angelina Jolie), for this I am truly thankful and humbled. So amazing to see the fruits of ones work bringing joy to other people.
Due to the situation with the Iraqi refugees there was some coverage in DR1: “Jersild Live” did an interview with rector Per Ramsdal of Brorsons church and Birthe Rønn Hornbech – Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration and for Ecclesiastical Affairs. Check it out here
Below is a short status video that Thorbjørn Hein did on his cellphone. Sorry english speakers, it’s in Danish. Thanks for the coverage Thorbjørn!
Last night as I had finished writing up my invitation for the reception in Brorsons church on may 28th, I flicked on the news and discovered that approximately 50 Iraqis have sought shelter in the church.
The Iraqis have been denied asylum in Denmark, and are now fearing repatriation to Iraq.
A similar case occurred in 1992 when a number of palestinian refugees sheltered in Blågaards church which resides in the same church district as Brorson. This dragged on for several months, and resulted in politicians creating a special law granting them the right to stay in Denmark.
Traditionally Danish churches have chosen not to evict sheltering people.
The decision will be made tonight by the church board of which I became a member and vice chair only 6 months ago.
I see several conflicting issues in this case:
First of all I feel deeply with the sheltering families which are now fearing a return to a failed state that shows no promise of safety and comfort in the foreseeable future.
The decisions made by the Danish Parliament must be respected, or democracy disintegrates into lawlessness and anarchy.
Being responsible for Brorsons church I feel hijacked into a conflict that I do not wish to be a part of, even though I sympathize with the sheltering Iraqis and believe that the Danish state has failed in its handling of foreigh refugees.
In keeping with what I believe to be the duty of the church I will vote against evicting the Iraqis tonight.
I hope this situation can be resolved quickly to the benefit of everyone involved, and wish that the Iraqi refugees can have their case reevaluated on a more thorough investigation.
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.
)
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. 
