When GL STRAND reopens after a year long renovation we open with a magnificent exhibition. The world-renowned American film director David Lynch (b. 1946) is introduced with his first solo exhibition in Denmark. The Air is on Fire is an extensive retrospective exhibition presenting the artist’s fantastic and richly faceted production.
David Lynch – the artist
David Lynch is one of our time’s most creative and fascinating artists. He may be best known as the film director of Blue Velvet (1986) and Wild at Heart (1990) as well as the TV series Twin Peaks, which was met with a fantastic success during the 1990s. However, David Lynch is originally trained as a visual artist and has parallel to his films created an important production of paintings, drawings, photography and music.
Through his art, Lynch has created a distinctive and most personal expression where often the dark and dangerous sides of the human psyche and modern culture have been unfolded. He is known for his atmospheric sets which constantly change between what often seems like a nightmare and the reality. In the same manner both humour and irony are seen as leading traits in an art where both realism and surrealism constantly converge.
The Air is on Fire – the exhibition
The exhibition The Air is on Fire focuses on the complexity of David Lynch’ works and illustrates his changing genres, their bilateral overlapping, differences, and inspirations. Thus this exhibition includes drawings, lithographs, paintings, photos, film and installations. Moreover, the exhibition will also feature some of Lynch’ early short films, among others The Alphabet (1967).
The Air is on Fire is presented in a manner, which mediates both the formal and atmospheric elements in the work of David Lynch. A classical modern rehang is flanked by obviously staged installations. David Lynch’ short film, The Alphabet, is thus shown in a cinema like interior inspired by the cult film Eraserhead (1977). Additionally the exhibition will include a site-specific installation piece which takes in the architectural and interior space of GL STRAND.
The exhibition is based on David Lynch’ own collection of his art dating back to 1965 as well as including new works from 2009/2010.
The exhibition is a collaborative work between David Lynch, GL STRAND and Fondation Cartier in Paris.
