In Denmark our project is based in the district of Sydhavn, located on the outskirts of Copenhagen. It is an old working-class district, which evolved out of the harbour industry of the past. Today, the heavy industry has moved, and the district is divided by an approach road between an old part and a new part, which at first sight have very little in common.
In the old working-class neighbourhood, the social cohesion and solidarity of the citizens constitute a clear narrative for many people, in contrast to the new neighbourhood, into which the residents have just moved, where the narratives must be created from scratch. One of our local ambassadors Kaj Thelander Jessen has lived in the old working-class neighbourhood since 1978. He talks here in September 2019 about his early expectations for the project.
The four artists in the project work in close collaboration with the residents of Sydhavn and the local partner Sydhavn Theatre with strong local roots. The first research phase in September 2019 was called Coffee across Sydhavnen. This week the artists moved around in the different areas of Sydhavnen with a coffee-table meeting the locals over a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
Photo / Lars Grunwald
February 17th – 22nd 2020 the four artists meet again in Sydhavnen. This will be a week of intense immersion into their individual artistic practice seen in relation to each other and the final meeting and project in May/June 2020. The week will also be spent meeting more people from Sydhavnen through activities.
