NOW HERE, THEN THERE: PART 1, spotlight on Kirsten Ortwed

Susanne began working with Kirsten Ortwed in the early “80s, exhibiting wax and polyurethane sculptures by the artist in the gallery’s Store Kongensgade premises through the years. The artist, ever experimental with her choice of materials, has always sought to find new ways to approach sculpture.

When the gallery relocated to Gothersgade in 1989, Ortwed was one of the first artists to present a show in the space; a duo exhibtion of new works with Rosemarie Trockel which opened on 14 September 1990.

A solo show by Kirsten Ortwed was among the first at the newly opened DCA Gallery in New York in 1995 (a venture spearheaded by Susanne with 5 of her Copenhagen colleagues. They would run the space for over 10 years). Susanne recalls installing the exhibition alongside the artist late into the evening, causing stress for the gallery’s Director, Miles, who was anxious that they wouldn’t be ready to open as planned the following day. His fears came true when he returned in the morning to find no works installed in the space, instead – two empty glasses and one empty bottle of whiskey! The two share a love of hard liquor.

Susanne also presented Ortwed at international art fairs including, on a number of occasions, Art Cologne – then the European epicentre of Contemporary Art – where the artist lived for many years.

Pictured here, Kirsten Ortwed in our 1990 Art Cologne booth where she featured alongside Per Kirkeby, Bjørn Nørgaard, A. R. Penck and Troels Wörsel!

Two of Ortwed’s wax works from 1990 and a polyurethane wall-sculpture from 1983 is featured in Part 1 of our anniversary exhibition, ‘NOW HERE, THEN THERE’.