Henning Larsen designs a poetic retreat for artists......
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The 100 square meter retreat for artists designed by Henning Larsen is a poetic melange of architecture, the minimalistic sculpture and nature.
On a bleak and foggy day I drove north of Copenhagen to visit the newly finished artists studio/retreat Henning Larsen has designed for the innovative Danish gallery owner Michael Andersen. The studio/house will serve as a retreat for the many artists connected to the Michael Andersen Gallery. The artists can stay from one to eight months and ..... work is not obligatory....
Larch wood was chosen as the outside material as it weathers to a silvery gray color with time. Michael Andersen is planning to plant a small forest of tall nordic birch trees with silver/white trunks to make the house one with nature. At the moment, the house being newly constructed, the larch wood is still a golden yellow blending perfectly with the Fall colors.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
There is only a single door the entire length of the entrance side of the studio/house; emphasizing the minimalistic approach and giving the artist in residence total privacy.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
On the more private side four large square louvered screens makes it possible to regulate the light during the different seasons. The screens open like umbrellas.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The most private end of the house has floor to ceiling glass; blurring the border between inside and outside.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
Towards the road, the studio end of the house, light enters through three narrow windows at floor level as well as from a long slit of a skylight.
The core of the house, separating the studio from the living area, contains kitchen, bathroom and two fireplaces.
All the work is done by local craftsmen for under $2.000,00 a square meter.....
A more detailed feature coming up at DA......
The day before I visited Michael Andersen's gallery while he was installing an exhibition by Kasper Bonnen, a young Danish artist and poet.
An exciting painter and wonderful poet you will hear a lot about. The just married BonnŽn wrote a love poem for his wife....and built it.... for his exhibition of new paintings. View the paintings at www.gma.dk.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
In the Living Room you hear sentences like: "it was really irritating", "you are right, she is really sweet", "and then this strange man walked in" and "I wonder how they are, we haven't seen them for so long". She stands behind him and she says: I love you, and individually all the furniture form letters in the sentence, their home becomes the text they read together, the text they adapt to slowly to find each other, it is clear, home is the object of love.
Kasper Bonnen
