KIRK Gallery has just completed the sixth work in the series of new murals underway in Aalborg as part of the gable painting project 'Out in the Open' 10th-anniversary celebration.
It has long been a wish for the gallery to bring French artist Hopare to Aalborg, who, before his arrival, had studied the Danish Golden Age and traditional clothing in Denmark.
The artwork that now adorns Danmarksgade 29 is, therefore, a result of these studies, with the starting point being an interpretation of one of the main works by the Danish Golden Age painter Ludvig August Smith.
Ludvig August Smith (1820-1906) graduated from the art academy in 1841 and was taught by C.W. Eckersberg for a period.
In his work, he often used the model Catrine Nielsen, known as Trine.
The artist describes the gable painting as follows:
"Lost in thought, 'Trine' turns melancholic or dignified towards us. The fine features of her face contrast with the robust musculature of her bust.
She is almost like frozen. But what is the underlying theme of the artwork?
The gathering of long strands of hair or the thoughtful gaze of the model?
The inner space of a room or the innermost of the soul? The visible or the invisible.
This is my interpretation of one of the main works by the Danish Golden Age painter Ludvig August Smith.
The synthesis of neoclassicism and romanticism to a large extent remains a mystery."
