Fire & Ice at Copenhagen Contemporary: Eight Greenlandic Artists Confront Colonialism and Identity
Set to debut in 2026, Copenhagen Contemporary's Fire & Ice showcases the work of eight contemporary artists, delving into Greenlandic identity against a backdrop of geopolitical strife. Featured pieces include Jessie Kleemann's video, where she drags a kayak while recounting a Greenlandic legend. Other contributors are Kim Kleist-Eriksen (walrus tusk carvings), Martin Brandt Hansen (vitrines on mitaarneq), Emilia Sølvsten (sugar landscape), Inuk Silis Høegh (nature film), and the duo Lisbeth Karline Poulsen and Julie Edel Hardenberg (structural racism). Inuuteq Storch's intimate photography is also on display. Critics have pointed out curatorial flaws, including inadequate lighting for Poulsen's piece and a lack of context for Brandt Hansen's vitrines, questioning the exhibition's representation of Greenlandic voices in postcolonial discussions.
Key facts
- Fire & Ice at Copenhagen Contemporary features eight contemporary artists exploring Greenlandic identity.
- Jessie Kleemann presents a video work with a fabric kayak, voice-over myth, and electronic sound.
- Martin Brandt Hansen's vitrines reference mitaarneq, a Greenlandic costume festival with ancient roots.
- Lisbeth Karline Poulsen's work on the spiral case is installed in a white, over-lit room.
- Inuuteq Storch's photographs of friends are shown in a modest scale.
- Copenhagen Contemporary states most works are produced for the exhibition, but some are re-scaled older pieces.
- The review criticizes the institution's claim 'Everyone talks about Greenland. Few let Greenlanders speak.'
- SMK held a major solo exhibition with Jessie Kleemann in 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Lisbeth Karline Poulsen
- Jessie Kleemann
- Kim Kleist-Eriksen
- Martin Brandt Hansen
- Emilia Sølvsten
- Inuk Silis Høegh
- Julie Edel Hardenberg
- Inuuteq Storch
- Damien Hirst
Institutions
Locations
- Copenhagen
- Denmark
- Greenland
- Arctic
- Kalaallit Nunaat