ALIUM Exhibition | The Reinvention of Forms by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Renowned Danish architect and photographer Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen has created his first Monograph, The Reinvention of Forms. A captivating curation, the cinematic compositions in black and white feature fragmenting bodies, architecture and nature, centred around a recurring motif of spherical shapes. To mark the launch, in an exclusive collaboration with ALIUM, a series of limited edition artworks are currently on display at the art gallery in Copenhagen. The exhibition features a carefully selected array of photographs from the book, sold exclusively through the gallery.

The striking collection demonstrates how Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen reinvents the forms around him as luminous images, creating intimate and enigmatic juxtapositions that invite the viewer to look again and imagine what lies beyond the frame. As a trained architect, Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen brings to life his understanding of tactility, minimalism and detail by anchoring his still life series around a recurring motif of spherical shapes and through rendering each image in exquisite black and white tonalities. Alongside the mesmerising aesthetics of the photographic work, The Reinvention of Forms also includes interpretations of Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen’s practice from his close friends and collaborators, including an introduction by the seminal Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa and a short fictional story by prize-winning Danish author Thomas Rydahl.

Having long admired the work of Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, I love seeing his body of work celebrated in this way. I find the artworks intriguing and sensory, each one unique yet connected by a common thread, as beautifully described below... 

 

Nature’s imperfection is a humble reminder of old and new: of purity and impermanence. Its inherent sense of harmony is something to celebrate and be guided by. Our body measures our surroundings; it’s spatial properties, materiality, scale, distance. From our eyes to our skin and muscles, we perceive and understand our surroundings on a multi-sensory level. Without being fully aware of it, our vision projects our body and touch onto buildings, into spaces and surrounding nature; it touches distant surfaces, textures, edges, and our sense of touch tells us how to perceive these. Spaces are living voids defined by additions to space and deductions — the unseen matter and shapeless absence surrounding defined objects.

The Reinvention of Forms by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen is exhibited at ALIUM Gallery from now through to 22 December and will be open for visitors by appointment only.

Images 1-8: Photography by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Images 9-13: Styling by Charlotte Skytte Daugbjerg / Photography by Sofie Staunsager 

Images courtesy of ALIUM

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The Kinfolk Print Collection

Earlier this year I introduced you to ALIUM, a new Copenhagen-based art gallery showcasing a curated collection of artworks and objects by handpicked artists. Today they have launched a new collection of art prints in collaboration with Kinfolk, The Kinfolk Print Collection.

Le Chat Chic by Luc Braquet

Things Fall Apart 01 by Pelle Crépin

Xavier Corberó 01 by Salva López

Many of you will be familiar with the captivating photographs that feature in the pages of Kinfolk. Each photograph that makes it into the magazine is judged on its ability to stand alone — and stand the test of time. Given that it can take several months and a dozen pairs of eyes to get from the first idea to the final image, it sometimes feels like a shame that magazines themselves are ultimately ephemeral.

It was thoughts like this that became the catalyst for the Kinfolk Print Collection: An edit of ten images from the magazine selected by the Kinfolk team in collaboration with ALIUM. Spanning architecture, art, animals and still life arrangements, the Kinfolk Print Collection features a curation of favourite shots and most enduring editorial images from the last two years.

Spot the Difference by Aaron Tilley

Soft Strokes 01 by Diana Dal-Pra

Muscle Memory by Dorte Tuladhar

Things Fall Apart 02 by Pelle Crépin

Xavier Corberó 02 by Salva López

Soft Strokes 02 by Diana Del-Pra

How to Wear a Hat by Simone Cavadini

Such a wonderfully unique and diverse range of art prints, I love how they have been styled in the beautiful interior spaces above. Ranging in size from 40x50 cm to 50x70 cm, each image has been reproduced as a high-quality Giclée print on 265g fine art paper.

The Kinfolk Print Collection is available worldwide via aliumcph.com

Lifestyle imagery: Styling by Sofie Brünner / Photography by Enok Holsegaard

Product imagery: Styling & photography by Sofie Staunsager

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Modern Times Launches Sand Sea by Brooke Holm

Launching this Thursday at Modern Times, Sand Sea is the latest body of work from photographer Brooke Holm. The exhibition will present nine photographic landscapes shot entirely in the Namib Sand Sea. The oldest desert in the world, where vast and inhospitable stretches of sand dunes stretch for over 80,000 kilometres and transform under the African sun in stunning gradients or red, brown and pink, these new works are breathtaking. 

Diving into the expanse of the Sand Sea, it appears never-ending. The ribbons and patterns in the sand are intricately formed, with each detail perfectly positioned as if there were a mastermind at work. With wind blowing in from the hinterland and coast, particles and dust are gathered to form enormous dunes, their magnitude seeming nearly impossible to comprehend.

“On first glance, the photographs bear a resemblance to the human body, reminding me of our complicated relationship with nature and its magnetic pull on the human subconscious” Brooke elaborates. 

Brooke Holm’s portrayal of the dunes bears resemblance to the human body, in an array of flesh tones that cascade and blend with each other. Her aerial perspective and the way she frames the vastness that appears before her show transience and movement in precise detail. Seen on location below, Brooke photographs the landscapes in an intimate way, celebrating the smaller details of a much larger picture. 

Visit Modern Times to find out more about the exhibition and to view the catalogue. 


Images courtesy of Brooke Holm 

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A Still Life Series from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-One: The Architecture Special

Over the weekend I started reading the latest issue of Kinfolk. A long-time favourite, I can easily devour it one go, but it's also nice to stretch it out, slowly savouring each article as it unfolds. Visually inspiring (the cover alone can take my breath away) the features are also thought provoking, leaving me with ideas to ponder long after I've finished reading. In issue Thirty-One: The Architecture Special, The Chain Reaction by Aaron Tilley has that effect. A still life series inspired by the Rube Goldberg machine, Aaron's approach is perfectly in fitting with this playful, concept-driven narrative - showing the trail of a flower being watered.

Photography by Aaron Tilley  and Styling by Lisa Jahovic for Kinfolk

Such beautiful tones and textures, I love the little splash of water, earthy palette and natural materials. You can see the full series - where a delicate flower eventually gets watered - in the latest issue of Kinfolk. 

Other articles I'm lingering over include the Home Tour:E-1027 - the French Riviera villa by celebrated Irish architect Eileen Grey, an interview with TRNK co-founder Tariq Dixon, and a peek into the creative world of Noura & Anne, two inspiring architects based in Bahrain. This is definitely a must-read issue! 

Images courtesy of Kinfolk 

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Mineral Matter | A New Exhibition by Brooke Holm

Following on from her much loved series Salt and Sky, internationally renowned Australian photographer Brooke Holm is returning to Modern Times this Thursday for her second solo exhibition, Mineral Matter. Having relocated to New York in 2016, Holm’s return to Melbourne marks the premier of a highly anticipated body of work depicting Iceland’s dynamic landscape and river deltas, documenting their movement of minerals through streams and rivers leading out to sea. Photographed entirely from above, this breathtakingly beautiful series is a departure from the earlier work exploring the impact of human interference on the landscape. Mineral Matter is focused rather on the energy and force within nature in creating pathways and areas where humans can then reside, explore and embark on adventure. 

Brooke is able to represent the forceful command of nature with a divine sensitivity, textured tracks; flights of birds; and ripple of waves create a sense of uninhabited wilderness. Her lens captures the awe-inspiring influence of nature and puts humanity’s domination over the environment into question.

“Volcanic ash, sediment and colourful minerals are collected and moved by the travels of glacier water while recent human relics such as vehicle tracks and footsteps weave in and out of frame.” -Brooke Holm

Truly captivating, I'm a little sad I won't be in Melbourne to attend the exhibition! Opening Thursday, 21st September, visit Modern Times for more information.

Images courtesy of Brooke Holm and Modern Times

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