A Monumental, Modern and Mosaic Landscape

Monumental Art Experience

When the doors to the preview in Bredgade open, you will have the opportunity to experience a unique and grand photographic artwork by the Danish artist Ebbe Stub Wittrup. His work ”Out from Under” is unlike most other pieces of art. It is almost a monumental experience. The work consists of no less than 100 framed photographs, each measuring a little more than one A4 page. Hung and displayed across four rows, the artwork covers more than 10 meters. The pictures are connected with each other through coloured sequences of up to five photographs.

When Old Private Photos Meet Modern Art

The motifs, which are grainy and kept in different colour tones, come from a collection of old, private photo slides from the 1950s that the artist found by accident and afterwards cropped, manipulated and coloured. They could have been taken in Switzerland or perhaps Norway. There are fragments of skies, rivers, snow and lots of mountains. There are very few traces of human beings: parts of rooftops, wires from lifts and one small sign with an arrow and the words "To Steine" that sends the viewer further into the artwork.

The artist has spread the photographs across an intricate mosaic pattern, which makes it clear that what you see are only parts and fragments. At the same time the mosaic and the palette of colours provide a new context in which the photograph’s portrayal of reality is turned on its head and opens up for new colourful and abstract landscapes before our eyes.

Watch expert in photo art Christine Almlund talk about the photography auction and Wittrup's work of art

Landscapes with a Twist on Reality

The old photo slides also form the foundation for another series of photographs by Stub Wittrup, whereof two are also presented at this photo auction. In the series "Presumed Reality" one sees a group of male and female hikers in the alpine landscapes – often in classic picturesque compositions. Again, Stub Wittrup has altered the sharpness, contours and colours and created new images of what appears to be reality. Both of the photo series challenge the conventional understanding of photography's representation of reality, focus on the aesthetic possibilities and limitations of the photograph as well as provide the classical landscape motif with a modern twist.

Inspired by Warhol

At the auction we can also present a number of leading Danish artists who have dominated Danish art photography since the mid-1980s. Works by Per Bak Jensen, Krass Clement, Erik Steffensen and two unique works by the artist Ulla Diedrichsen are among the items up for auction. Diedrichsen has for many years worked with photo-based art here in Denmark, and during the 1980s she had close ties to the pop artist Andy Warhol, while she for a period was affiliated with "The Factory" in New York. The auction also includes newer international names such as Hiroshi Sugimoto and Roger Ballen as well as Astrid Kruse Jensen, Trine Søndergaard and Nicolai Howalt. All the works up for sale at the auction can be seen at the preview in Bredgade from 15 to 19 September. The hammer falls at the same place on Wednesday, 28 September from 3:30 pm.

Art on Paper

In the same weekend as the preview, Bruun Rasmussen will also exhibit photographic art and other paper-based artwork at the exhibition "Kunst på Papir” (Art on Paper) in Museumsbygningen on Østerbro in Copenhagen. A number of old and modern drawings, graphics and photo art will be up for auction through a subsequent online theme auction, which takes place from 6 pm on Monday, 19 September. All the artwork can be seen at our department at Sundkrogsgade 30, 2150 Nordhavn up until the auction. 

View all the photographs

View all the lots of the autumn auction

Read more about the auction

Read about bidding