I would like to re-open the well known.
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What interests me in my visual art and in general is being. Presence. The German social philosopher Hartmut Rosa, uses an intriguing concept on the ancient subject, namely: Resonance. From the concepts of music one speaks of a special mood. When I “swing” with my surroundings.
I’m busy taking in the world, being overwhelmed, throwing myself into the soft summer grass, or being on an adventure crouching with soaked sore knees, between ferns and through the morning dewy bushes.
Here I feel the world, the world that makes me breathe deeper e.g. in the forest, or at the meeting with the horizon line over the sea.
I like to go “all in”. The question is when I get knocked over, when do I find the balance, the intense presence, with another human being, in the conversation, or alone, in the walk, in nature, or in the city?
Momentarily, there is balance or perhaps even harmony, of course, in moments. But that’s where the gold is, and what I’m interested in conveying artistically. This presence.
Whether it is possible, in that way, two dimensionally, is then a whole new question, for further immersion.
But I want to be touched by art. When I can not touch the image physically, it must touch me. Preferably right above the solar plexus. I think a picture can do that. And I’m going after that.
Nikolaj Callesen – 2021
It is not to maintain something fundamentally elusive that we have art. Art can, for me, at its best help us relate poetically to the world. Let it open, in instant eternities. In the overlap and coupling of synthetic idioms, speak to us and activate sides in us that often cannot be expressed verbally, yet. That is a noble purpose of art. To be able to speak directly to us about what we do not yet have the words to express, but which lies latent in all of us.
Nikolaj Callesen – 2022
“…Because your image does not just say “Look at a beautiful landscape” or “Look at a majestic field” but something else either impossible to quantify or have the language to express. But somehow we must try. Storytelling is important. But it is also important to say to the viewer: “Stop speaking and only feel.” And you can say that through a poetical language full of enigma. All in the service of “the secret cord.” The thing that taps into the limitless, sublime unknowable….”
Lens Culture Submission Review, June 2021.
“..This is how your photography works, viscerally, not logically. So there is no reason for me to understand what I see in order to step into your world, but to feel. And I do feel. In addition, I feel that the pictures are the result of long hours of observation and experimentation with the means. If this is not art then what is art?..”
Lens Culture Submission Review, november 2021
Nikolaj Callesens tilgang til fotografiet er på én gang komplekst og så lige til, at det bevæger sig naturligt på fotografiets skrøbelige smalle kant.
Bogen ’Gensyn med sensommerens blodrøde, varme og vilde valmue’ af Nikolaj Callesen er et godt eksempel på det rå og det skrøbelige med kontrastfyldte sort/hvide fotografier sammensat med farvefotografier fra byens rum og naturens åbenbaringer.
Ordene i bogen sammenflettes med fortællinger i kameraets afbildninger: ”Bag mit lukkede vindue, er jeg i værelsets radiatorvarme åndenød. Suger febrilsk til mig af lyset, der når mig mellem hans sitrende spredte fingre imens de tegner klare fabelagtige skygger på asfalten bag ham”. Poetiske stemninger fra følelsernes afkroge.
Nikolaj Callesen besidder en sensitivitet i hans fotografiske arbejde, som er sjældent set og du som beskuer er inviteret ind i disse billedlige følelsesstrenge.
Henriette Lykke,
28. juli 2018.
“The eye sees more than the heart knows” – William Blake
Education:
Ba. Socialanthropology, Aarhus University, 2001
Fotografisk skole, Aarhus, 2001-2003
Ba. Hons. Fine Art Photography, Glasgow School of Art, 2006
Representation:
http://www.nordvaerk.com – Copenhagen
http://www.yellowkorner.com – France
Exhibitions:
Solo:
“Degreeshow” 2006, Glasgow
“I orkanens Øje” 2006, Bergen Kunsthall
“Efeu, Skvalderkål, Hjertensfryd og Månestråle”, Fountain House, Copenhagen 2017
“Og jeg glemmer at dagene er kortest i december” Fountain House, Copenhagen, January 2018
“Gensyn med sensommerens blodrøde, varme og vilde valmue”, Christianshavns Beboerhus, Copenhagen, August 2018
“Bearbejdede tegninger” Fountain House, Copenhagen, November 2018
“Bearbejdede tegninger”, Lundehuskirken, Copenhagen, March 2019
“Altered photographs”, Leica Boutique, Copenhagen, November 2019
“Ved Lyngbyvejens virkelige, vilde og klare åbne”, Kofoeds Skole, Copenhagen , February 2020
“Afskygninger – fotografiske variationer” – Fountain House København, august 2020
“Afskygninger – fotografiske variationer” – Lundehuskirken København, november 2020
“I mellemtiden” – Christianshavns beboerhus, June 2021
“Klang af ting i beton” – Galleri Underkant, May – july 2022.
“Fantastiske fænomener – 12 øjeblikke” – Københavns Højskoleforening, september 2022.
“Fantastiske fænomener – nye øjeblikke” – Lundehuskirken, maj-juni 2023.
”Langs poleret glas, gennem en lysning, – i et åbnet rum, ved byens kastanje” – Portnerboligen, Lyngby Kunstforening Oktober 2023
Group:
Artotekets forårsudstilling, 2016, Copenhagen
Like Traces of Blackbirds in daylight: Copenhagen Photofestival, 2017
“Winter” Blank wall Gallery, Athens Greece november 2017
“The Sacred” Selection of work by Robert Adams, Light Box Gallery, Oregon, USA, august 2018
“Gruppeudstilling – abstrakt” – ´Galleri Øbro Jagtvej Bibliotek, April – juni 2019
“Portraiture” – Galleri Øbro jagtvej bibliotek, Juni-august 2019
“Black and white forest” – Il Buco, Copenhagen, september 2020
“Fugl 2022” – Johannes Larsen Museet, Kerteminde, Denmark.2022
“Salon 46” – Gruppeudstilling Rum 46, Aarhus, Denmark.May 2023.
Publications:
“I Orkanens Øje”, Bergen Kunsthall, 2006
“Gensyn med sensommerens blodrøde, varme og vilde valmue”, July 2018
“In through deep green leaves” – March 2020
“Katalog” – Magazine for Danish/Nordic contemporary photography. June 2020.
“Afskygninger” – August 2020
“Ydre Østerbro” – January 2021
“DSLR” – february 2022
“Et år i Sibirien” – Limbo Library august 2022
Støtte og bevillinger:
Danidas oplysningsbevilling: 2005
Statens kunstfond, rejselegat: 2007
Ophold på Klitgården, refugium, Skagen: 2007
Grosserer L.F. Foghts Fond, November 2019, 2021
Billedhuggeren, professor Gottfred Eickhoff og hustrus, maleren Gerda Eickhoffs Fond, November 2019
Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond, November 2019, 2022
Københavns Kommunes råd for visuel kunst, December 2019
Konsul Georg Jorck og Hustru Emma Jorcks Fond, December 2019
15. juni Fonden – 2022
Amager Øst Lokaludvalg – 2022
Nikolaj Callesen 