#YellowtraceTravels // Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark.

Did you think I was done with all the Denmark posts? Wrong! We still have Louisiana Museum of Modern Art to talk about. It was so good and it more than earned it’s own special feature, so here goes.

I must admit that, although I had been told by a number of trusted sources I would love Louisiana, I wasn’t quite prepared for falling for it as much as I did. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact I was somewhat shady the day we visited. (The night before was that spectacular night spent at The Apartment and a massive emotional high for me, followed by getting trashy with some of the #GreatDesignTour2014 crew at a random art school party until 4am. And let’s be crystal clear – art school party sounds way more glamours than it was – basically we were drinking beer out of plastic cups and peeing in portaloos, although the setting was pretty amazing and it was fun partying in Copenhagen with all the cool kids). I digress.

Considered a major work of Danish modernist architecture, Louisiana is so much more than an experience in modern and contemporary art – the property strikes a perfect balance between art, architecture and landscape. In the well-balanced style of the late 1950s’modernism, the museum presents itself as a horizontal and understated building complex that fits gracefully and intimately into the landscape. Louisiana is so discrete, you almost might miss it as some of the buildings camouflage themselves into the spectacular site in stealth style. It is precisely the unpretentious aspect of Louisiana’s architecture that strikes the eye on the first visit.

Related Post: #YellowtraceTravels // Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. The Concert Hall was built in 1976, with acoustics make it especially fit for chamber music. The hall is also used for others events such as debates, lectures and symposiums. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Located on the shore of the Øresund Sound in Humlebæk, 35 km north of Copenhagen (approx 40 min on the train), the museum is situated on a spectacular well-established property with direct views to Sweden. In the mid-50s, when the museum’s founder, Knud W. Jensen, asked the architects Jørgen Bo and Wilhlem Wohlert to build a museum based on the old villa, their basic idea was to link the architecture with it’s natural surroundings. Since then the museum has been extended several times until it reached it’s final shape in the early 90s.

The experience of moving through the buildings of Louisiana is unlike anything I’ve felt before. There are so many different parts to discover – little nooks and crannies, narrow spaces and compressed corridors with low ceiling heights which suddenly emerge into vast volumes, smooth circular stairwells, galleries with spectacular oversized windows, views to the ocean – the whole lot. Some spaces are internal and dark, others feel light and almost ethereal. Everything, from the smallest detail like the minimalist framing to the oversized sliding glass panels, beautiful signage, brass end-caps on timber beams (even the goddam bain-maries in the cafe, and the accessible lifts look good) – seriously everything at Louisiana is effortless, elegant, intentional and considered. It’s as though the building, as unassuming as it is, acts as the ultimate seductress that lures you in and wins you over in the most gentle way that you’re almost not even conscious of it. By the time you leave, you are 100% besotted with everything about this place. Indeed, Louisiana is the ultimate architectural hussy!

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Right – The Concert Hall has chairs designed by Poul Kjærholm and the rear wall has paintings created for the site by Sam Francis. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

And then there is the art. The museum houses an exquisite collection by international artists such as Francis Bacon, Calder, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Sam Francis, Giacometti, Kiefer, Henry Moore, Picasso, Rauschenberg, Warhol and many other famous names. Besides the impressive permanent collection with over 3,000 works, the museum has 8-12 special exhibitions annually. The greater property serves as an ideal setting for displaying the museum’s collection of modern sculptures by the likes of Henry Moore and Alexander Calder.

In case you are wondering, the name of the museum is inherited from the first owner of the property, Alexander Brun, who named the villa after his three wives, all named Louise(!). How’s Brunsey’s form? What a legend.

The Sculpture Park – the old villa seen from the park. Photo by Kim Hansen. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

North Wing – reflecting pool. Photo by Bjarke Oersted. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Jorn Space. Photo by Paul Buchard / Brondum & Co. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Giacomettisalen, North Wing – two-story exhibition of sculptures by Alberto Giacometti. Photo by Kim Hansen. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Sea Garden – Børnehus seen from the Sea Garden. Photo by Paul Buchard / Brondum & Co. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Calder-terrace. The park serves as an ideal setting for displaying the museum’s collection of modern sculptures. Photo by Kim Hansen. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Louisiana Cafe. Photo by Lars Ranek. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

South Wing – Wessel Bagge collection. Photo by Paul Buchard / Brondum & Co. Image © Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

During our visit, we were lucky to experience Riverbed by Olafur Eliasson -Danish-Icelandic artist’s first solo exhibition and Louisiana’s current major show (on until 4th Jan 2015). Blurring the boundaries between the Natural world and the Manmade in one wide, sweeping gesture, Riverbed literally brings the outdoors in.

“Riverbed” Exhibition by Olafur Eliasson at The Louisiana Museum Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

“Riverbed” Exhibition by Olafur Eliasson at The Louisiana Museum Denmark. Image courtesy of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The Riverbed exhibition is supported by the New Carlsberg Foundation, Realdania and Square.

Models by Olafur Eliasson at The Louisiana Museum Denmark. Images courtesy of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. 

Recreating an enormous and rugged landscape, complete with riverbed and rocky earth, Eliasson‘s installation is a staged imitation of a natural landscape within the walls of the museum. A narrow path running through the spaces has been filled with water to recreate the trickle at the bottom of a dried river on the rocky surface. At the top of the south wing, a library has been created to house a collection of Eliasson’s art books – including a new publication produced for the exhibition featuring landscape photographs of Iceland from 1986 to 2013.

Two Words – Go There.

Related Post: #YellowtraceTravels // Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Denmark. Photo © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

[Images courtesy of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Photography by Dana Tomić Hughes/ Yellowtrace as noted.]