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Journey from Christiania to Christiansborg Slotsplads
I borrowed a trailer and some scaffolding from the Freetown Christiania and made my way towards Copenhagen centre to paint Live outside the Danish Parliament. image info -
Assembling the Scaffolding
I had not specifically asked for permission, but was advised by the Peace Demonstration coordinator to just do it - that there was positivity towards art from Christiansborg.image info -
Plan of action
The painting I was going to make was a result of increased negativity towards muslims after the Copenhagen shootings on 14th Feb. I chose the story of how the sun and the wind competed to get a man to take his coat off, because it reminds us that gentle love is a more effective response than hateful force.image info -
The Sun and Wind process
The circle was the only thing I painted at the studio due to the fact it was going to be very difficult to create on a corrigated surface.image info -
The Sun outline
From a frontal view you can see how the circle looks. It is wider at the far end to account for perspective and forshortening.image info -
Freezing cold
The day I started this painting was so cold that it snowed. There were strong gusts of wind too, so I started with the 'wind' image.image info -
Behind the mask
Behind that mask I was close to tears because it was so cold and because the wind was so unforgiving.image info -
Wind
I was battling to get any kind of image made within the first day because I was not yet sure whether I'd be allowed to keep my painting there overnight. That is why I wrote Law above the cloud painting and Love above the Sun - it roughly summerized the message.image info -
Sun forming
I photographed my own face for the wind and sun pictures.image info -
Sun smiling
The face is starting to form as night sets in on the 21st march. Brrrimage info -
Bottles of acrylic paint
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Chilled by the Wind
According to the story, the wind only causes the man to pull his coat even tighter.image info -
Warmed by the sun
The colours I've chosen for this man's clothes relate to relevant flags in the question of world unrest.image info -
Full frontal view
This painting looks crazy from the front because of the blending of the two paintings.image info -
The sun has taken shape
The morol of the story is that the sun causes the man to take his coat off freely the way that love can conquer greater battles than heartless force can.image info -
Christiansborg Slot
Here is the evidence that I was indeed painting outside the Parliament.image info -
Masked
I wore a mask firstly to link my activity to the demonstration I made outside Den Frie Exhibition during its Opening. The mask heightens curiosity, It also makes me more annonymous. I like that this could make my artwork less about where I come from or look like, and more about the statement.image info -
Inner sunshine
I was wearing my cycle jacket under my boiler-suit. It was like inner sunshine.image info -
Frontal View
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Sun detail
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Somalian Refugees
I met a group of asylum-seekers from Somalia while painting the first painting.image info -
Somalian Refugees
One of the banners they bore said "Nothing worse than Dying Emotionally and Mentally". That struck me and inspired my next paintingimage info -
Somalians with Banner
Somalian demonstrators joined me next to my painting of the cloudimage info -
Somalian Refugees
They were very pleasant and said they just wanted to ask the governement for help and were willing to work. Now Lars Lykke is making it sound like refugees need forced into work. Not the case. They want to do something.image info -
Art as Dialogue
I have met very many people while painting in front of the Parliament. Some I talk to for minutes. Some I talk to for hours. This photograph is by a press photographer who happened to be passing by. http://www.ehbrecht.dk/
Photograph: John Ehbrecht image info -
Leah Robb at work
I am painting the right side of the painting with red paint but because this is photographed from the left, you can't see the red surface.
Photograph: John Ehbrecht image info -
Heavy cloud decending
Depicting the death of a brain and a heart is tricky. I have used a cloud full of crosses decending on the brain and making its way to the heart. This is the feeling described by the Somalian refugees
Photograph: John Ehbrecht image info -
Burdens?
As a contrast to the feelings portrayed by the refugees, I have created an image of an annonymous, faceless figure. Coins are being thrown down from Christiansborg Slot into its open mouth implying the apparent waste of resources. I have added a question mark.
Photograph: John Ehbrecht image info -
The Sun and Wind from left
March - June 2015
Acrylic on corrigated roofing
210x95cm
These paintings were completely painted Live outside the Danish Parliament and have been permitted to remain there from 21st March till 10th June 2015 so far. It is quite exciting.
£1000/10,000kr image info -
The Sun and Wind from right
March - June 2015
Acrylic on corrigated roofing
210x95cm
The Danish Queen's birthday was filmed from here and my paintings were just shifted, not removed. Since then TV2 have built a temporary studio and there have been street parties around this area and still no human damage or confiscation. This is a good sign.
£1000/10,000krimage info
