The Eternal - Morten Schelde at Rudolph Tegner Museum & Statue Park
Dive into a world of artistic connection and eternity with Morten Schelde's exhibition, "The Eternal." In this remarkable exhibition, Schelde explores a creative interplay between his own drawings and Tegner's sculptures. Discover the subtle ties between past and present, and immerse yourself in the profound themes woven through the works.
The exhibition "The Eternal" presents Morten Schelde's drawings engaging in a conversation with Rudolph Tegner's sculptures.
At first glance, the differences may seem more numerous than the similarities, but upon closer reflection, one discovers the kinship. The eternal serves as a guide for visitors as Morten's drawings interact with Tegner's sculptures.
Morten Schelde exhibits six truly large drawings as well as four smaller works, several of which refer to Tegner's works.
In particular, "The Eternal" is an impressive work. The picture measures 200 x 300 cm and consists of two parts. A ship dominates the centre of the picture, almost as if it binds the two parts together. It is a monumental piece. The ship floats in a space where the floor seems to dissolve, and carpets from both sides create a waterfall. The ceiling represents a forest floor with trees growing downward, and the forest floor has eyes.
Further into the picture, a large window overlooking hills is visible. To the left of the picture, a staircase leads up to darkness, to a universe with a starry sky. The staircase is decorated with smaller pictures and pitchers and at its foot lie clocks and a skull scattered around.
To the right, flowers in green, blue, orange, and purple gently fall. Between the staircase and the ship stands a nude female figure, merging with the rock. The motif of the young woman turning her back is recognizable from Tegner's grave monument to his mother.
Morten Schelde
For many years, Morten Schelde has used attributes in his works that he repeatedly returns to stairs, ships, and landscapes, and in this exhibition, these attributes are linked to Tegner's history. The ship Dagmar took Tegner to the Acropolis, and nature from the Statue Park. Themes such as melancholy and the lonely wanderer also resonate in Tegner's life story, just as Morten Schelde's return to owls as a motif resonates with Tegner.
"The Eternal" is an exhibition where Morten Schelde's drawings interact with Tegner's sculptures. An unusual pair that, upon closer inspection, sparkles with small surprises. Tegner and Morten are artistically connected in more than one way, each anchored in their own era and visual language.
What does eternity mean to them? One suggestion could be that eternity connects us as humans. The great emotions and epic narratives, and the small things in everyday life. Both and. It's about what makes sense to us, what gives us the freedom to be who we are.