Hvorfor Danmark / Why Denmark?

Bicycle valet parking at the "Frisør" or hair salon on Nørrebrogade

I am often asked by many Danes, "Why do you choose to live Denmark?". This is not an easy question to answer or rather to put into words, especially as the dark, dreary and cold winter weather approaches. I have to admit that I much prefer Canada's snow to the Danish rain and am, in fact, known for sending text messages such as, "Jeg kommer ikke til skole i dag fordi det regnvejr." (I am not going to school today because it is raining).

Despite this, I still choose Denmark. Why? Perhaps it is the word "hyggeligt", often used to describe a cozy evening with friends or even for a one time interesting and fun street interview with some painters taking an afternoon beer break.

One of my responses to this question relates to the size of Copenhagen. Although it is a small city with a population not much more than one million, it has a big city mentality. But more importantly, it is human scale which lends itself to a bicycling culture and infrastructure that is hard to beat.

Today, I participated as a photographer in a walk/talk tour of 2 areas of Copenhagen that is currently under analysis, commissioned by the municipality. Perhaps my answer is best described in a short story of this experience.

At 9am during temperatures hovering at 5 degree celsius, 6 people, age ranging from mid thirties to early fifties met at Christiansbro. They were two anthropologists (who conducted the tour), the chief of city planning, a consultant city planner, an architect from the municipality and a Canadian photographer. One by one, they arrived at the meeting point, each one punctual, each one, by bicycle. After an hour of walking discussion through the area, they were due to head to their second location, Havnested. After a quick discussion, the bicycles were unlocked, and together, 6 professionals cycled two by two, bracing the wind and sailing through the streets of Copenhagen to their next walk/talk meeting. A taxi had been ordered but not soon enough, canceled. Wonderful!

Now, ask me again...Hvorfor Danmark?

Sigga

Portrait work for Hausenberg

Achromatic II

As winter approaches....4pm

As winter approaches....10am

Zap

Hanging on, standing tall, fallen

Self Portrait I

I have recently been thinking of doing a self portrait series, so here we go....

Light and dark, life and death, never one without the other.

So, dear Sir, I can't give your any advice but this: to go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows; at its source you will find the answer to the question of whether you must create. Accept that answer, just as it is given to you, without trying to interpret it. Perhaps you will discover that you are called to be an artist. Then take that destiny upon yourself, and bear it, its burden and its greatness, without ever asking what reward might come from outside. For the creator must be a world for himself and in Nature, to whom his whole life is devoted.

[Letter to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke]

The Great Escape

A living tree makes it's escape out through the walls of the Assistens Kirkegården towards Jagtvej....

History:

The Assistens Kirkegård or Assistens Cemetary, is the name of many existing cemeteries in Denmark. The name implies an erected shared assisting cemetery for town churches in larger towns. The first one was inaugurated in Nørrebro, Copenhagen in 1760 and is well known, not only because it is the largest cemetery in Copenhagen, but also because it is the burial grounds for Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish author of fairytales.

But this cemetery has a very special function as a peaceful place of retreat for Copenhageners. On a nice summer or fall day, the grounds are fully used by many of all ages who are there to relax quietly, meet with friends, some having picnics, some taking an afternoon stroll or some working on laptops in their hammocks. I once heard someone describe the Assistens Kirkegård as her Garden of Eden and I do honestly agree.

The weather was beautiful on Saturday and the sky was producing some of the nicest lighting I have seen in a while. After some very busy weeks, I decided to spend a much needed afternoon relaxing and wandering around the cemetery, absorbing the smells and colours of autumn with my camera. It was a lovely and cosy time or if translated to 2 of my favourite danish words: "Det var dejligt og hyggeligt!". I hope that in my upcoming blogposts, I will be able to portray these sensations.

(Psst...the red brick building in the background is where kleejourneys is currently based from...how lucky am I to live so close)

Achromatic I

Stair

Drifting

A Special Tunnel

The Aftermath

In Copenhagen, even the locals never really know where they will find the next party. In this instance, we stumbled upon a graffiti reggae party in an underground pedestrian tunnel, organized with simple party needs: good music, beer, and a DJ spinning from equipment in his bicycle carrier. On that Friday night, a functional tunnel space by day transformed into a special dance cave by night.

I went back two days later for some aftermath shots.

City break III - Camouflage

City break II

Ishøj, Denmark

Amsterdam Docklands III

The Whale is located on the Islands of Borneo and Sporenburg at the Eastern Docklands in Amsterdam. This building is designed by Frits van Dongen and is a very prominent and recognizable architecture block in Amsterdam. Inside are 214 apartments, 1100 m2 of office and retail-space, a underground parking garage and a semi-public courtyard which flows through underneath.

Zinc slated facade

More images and information here.