Art and culture
Art and culture
Nielsen Contemporary Art Gallery is proud to present a special work, made by the acknowledged Danish artist Jonas Pihl, on this year’s occasion of H.C. Andersen Festivals.
"Stalactite Theatre Of The Collective Unconscious" is a triptych painting created with acrylics, divided into three panels, measuring 2x3 metres in total. The piece has been exhibited in Museo De Nerja in Spain, where the encompassing stalactite caves have served as a central source of inspiration.
The artist has been inspired by his childhood experiences in Tivoli, an amusement park, located in Copenhagen — and particularly by H.C. Andersen’s adventurous universe. Elements such as The Flying Trunk, Andersen’s paper cutting figures and the Pantomime Theatre’s characteristic Commedia dell’arte masks, patterns and colours — all of these have found their way into the visual and narrative structure of the work.
This piece of art is a tribute to fairy tales, fantasy and the archetypes of the Collective Unconscious, that connect cultures across the world. From Nordic folklore with elves and trolls to the mystics of the East; the work gathers these different worlds into a united narration. In that connection, the triptych mirrors the notion of Transcending Borders, which is one of the central concepts in H.C. Andersen Festivals. The piece revolves around uniting cultural perspectives and mindsets, rather than treating them as being incompatible with each other.
Furthermore, the work includes the idea of the Magic of Technology and Things, symbolised through the mystical instruments inside the painting. These function not only as musical tools, but also as magical machines, binding irrational and mystical elements together. This way, the art is a medium that illuminates hidden connections and symbols, just like H.C. Andersen did in his fairy tales.
See this unique piece of art in the art gallery on Søndergade, in the centre of Odense.
Recommended age: For all ages
Organiser: Nielsen Contemporary
Image: Jonas Pihl "Stalactite Theatre Of The Collective Unconscious"
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