Simon Dybbroe Møller Probes Into the Construction of an Image in ‘Thick & Thin’

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As a seasoned art enthusiast with a particular affinity for conceptual works that delve deep into existential questions, I must say that Simon Dybbroe Møller’s exhibition at Copenhagen’s Kunsthal Charlottenborg has left an indelible mark on me. The comprehensive survey of his work is nothing short of thought-provoking and profoundly moving.

At Copenhagen’s Kunsthal Charlottenborg, an extensive exhibition is on view featuring the art of Danish conceptual artist Simon Dybbroe Møller. Instead of being pigeonholed into a specific category, Møller delves into existential themes using metaphorical installations, films, photographs, and lessons. He investigates the tangible qualities of objects as well as their universal symbolism.

Title of the exhibition, “Thick & Thin,” reflects life’s highs and lows and the contemplation of sculpture (thick in substance) versus a photograph (thin and two-dimensional). At the gallery entrance stands “Bags and Boulders,” with backpacks on the floor concealing rocks inside. The bags appear worn, revealing peeks of the hidden boulders, creating a relatable first impression while suggesting that children possess the power to challenge societal norms, as Møller stated.

Møller, who teaches at the School of Sculpture within the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, decided to re-examine the legendary bog body figure known as Grauballe Man. This man was unearthed by a peat harvester in 1952 and is renowned as one of Denmark’s most significant prehistoric finds: a 2,000-year-old cadaver whose neck had been severed and body discarded into a bog in Jutland, Denmark.

1. Due to exceptional preservation, his remains, including organs and fingerprints, remained intact for millennia. Møller’s Bag of Bones (2023) offers a fascinating exploration of Grauballe Man using a 3D scan displayed in a video installation. Through the passage of time and technological advancements, the corpse’s skin has been imaginatively recreated. The gallery describes this video as transforming the physical form into a digital entity, making it calculable and infinitely manipulatable. The wrinkled skin is transformed into a flexible texture map for easy modification.

At the heart of this exhibition lies an exploration of how an image is built, and how its symbolic representation can change over time. The exhibit titled “Thick & Thin” can be seen in Copenhagen until August 11, 2024.

Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Nyhavn 2,
1051 Copenhagen, Denmark

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2024-07-29 23:26