NOW HERE, THEN THERE: PART 1, spotlight on A. R. Penck

In 1989, the gallery relocated to Gothersgade 49 where we have remained ever since. It was in September of that year that we opened our first exhibition in the space, a solo show with A. R. Penck comprised of large-scale paintings, paper works and bronze sculptures.

The exhibition received a lot of attention from the Danish press with Susanne, a brand new (female!) gallerist presenting a major exhibition with the internationally renowned, charismatic artist. Politiken gave a glowing review of both the show and the new gallery, though the headline might raise a few eyebrows today! “Galleri debut with a worldwide name: Danish girl exhibits A. R. Penck in competition with the big international galleries!”

Now, many years later while celebrating the history of the gallery, we will be showing a number of the works that featured in that 1989 exhibition.

Captured here, A. R. Penck’s magnificent paintings through the gallery windows – September 1989 frozen in time. If you look closely, you can get a glimpse of the bronze sculpture we are showing in ‘NOW HERE, THEN THERE: PART 1’.

A. R. Penck (1939-2017) was born and lived in East Germany, but immigrated to West Germany in 1980. Susanne and Penck were introduced by Per Kirkeby in the early 80s, the two artists were close friends. Penck visited Copenhagen in 1984, collaborating with Susanne for the first time. The artist made some amazing prints together with Susanne and Niels Broch Jensen – one of them a portrait of Kirkeby! Two of the prints they made in 1984 is on view in the exhibition!!