[JEANSELLEM VIEWER] — DANER GALLERIET KØPENHAVN BESÖKER GALERIE S:T PETRI MED POUL GERNES/ DANMARK & JOEL GLASSMAN/U.S.A 08 - 20.03.1974 — Categories: press, letters, docs, visual — Keywords: Galerie S:t Petri, Jean Sellem, archive — Category: press — Because of certain shared views on art, and because of the non-commercial orientation of both, a constructive and friendly relationship has for some time been established between Danergalleriet in Copenhagen and Galerie S:t Petri in Lund.As an expression of this friendship, and because of the gallery’s previously demonstrated strong interest in the new directions that can be discerned within Danish contemporary art, Galerie S:t Petri is now presenting a retrospective exhibition of Danergalleriet’s activities since its founding.The Danish art critic Jane Pedersen, who has followed the development of Danergalleriet for several years, writes, among other things, in a letter to Galerie S:t Petri:"By alternating between Danish and foreign visual artists, Danergalleriet has contributed to getting a dialogue started, to a mutual influence taking place. At times Danergalleriet has also been used as a laboratory, where a new idea is tested before it can be placed in a larger context. Or it has been used for exhibitions which simply said that this is not where it is happening. It has been a negation of art as an isolated phenomenon, a constant reference to art as an integrated part of everyday life – where everyone stops talking about art, because what every human being touches and does something with is art. Because we are all image-makers."The exhibition runs from 8 to 20 March 1974. The gallery is open on weekdays from 3 pm to 8 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 5 pm. — — — Category: letters — Galerie S:t PetriS:t Petri Kyrkogata 5P.O. Box 7221 01 Lund 1SwedenTel. 046-14 78 00Lund, 9 October 1973Dear Jane Pedersen,During my recent trip to Denmark, I read with great interest the articles and books you have written concerning the new tendencies in the visual arts.I run an active gallery in Lund, Sweden, which operates outside the institutions and the commercial art world. The exhibitors pay only the fixed expenses; no commission is charged.In my conversation with John Hünow, we agreed that next year we would present the activities of Danergalleriet in Lund, which pleases me very much. It would be very helpful if you could, as soon as possible, write a presentation of Danergalleriet and its historical significance for art.You can obtain further information from John Hünow.Kind regards,Jean SellemP.S. In November–December, Per Kirkeby will exhibit “Museum” at Galerie S:t Petri. — — — Category: letters — Jane PedersenUnderlienpr. Brovst9460 JyllandDanmarkLund, 9 November 1973Dear Jane Pedersen,Thank you for your kind and informative letter of 6 November. I understand that you have a great deal to do with your journal and other activities.I am extremely interested in what you are doing and would be grateful to receive as much information as possible about your activities (articles, photographs, etc.).In addition, I would like you to send "Land & By" regularly to the gallery. I am happy to pay for it.As regards a presentation of Danergalleriet, I will probably write a few lines about it myself and perhaps quote some of your thoughts.The point is not to present a gallery, but a non-speculative activity, a – as you so aptly put it – laboratory within the visual arts, of great importance to Scandinavia, but which unfortunately far too few people know about.I hope that one day we can meet and exchange thoughts.Best regardsP.S. I am always interested in suggestions for progressive exhibitions. If you have any good ideas, you are welcome to let me know about them. — — — Category: letters — Brovst 6.11.73Dear Jean Sellem,Thank you for your letter of 9 October about writing a "presentation of Danergalleriet and its historical significance for art". I should have replied long ago, but I have not been able to, as I have been completely occupied with preparing teaching trips to Copenhagen, a very special course, "Gemenskapsbilder", and, together with other women, producing the first issue of our new publication "Land & By", which I am enclosing.It does not mean that I have not thought a great deal about the task you gave me and how it might be carried out. I have also spoken with John Hunov about it.My considerations have led me to the conclusion that I cannot write such a presentation. This is connected with many things, among them also the fact that since about 1 May this year I no longer write for "Information", which was very dissatisfied that I tried to cover all of Danergalleriet's exhibitions. They were, for the most part, the only exhibitions I wrote about, and this created an imbalance in relation to the two other art critics, which the newspaper could not tolerate.It is also connected with the fact that I cannot really regard Danergalleriet as a gallery. And I believe that a gallery, however much it tries to place itself outside the institutions and commercial life, nevertheless remains a part of them as long as our society functions according to the present capitalist system. Art will constantly be turned into a commodity.For me, Danergalleriet, with its limited opening hours, has been a paradox of a gallery, a negation of a gallery. That is how I have had to regard it, without being entirely certain that John Hunov regards it in the same way. It is an information point where some images that he has found and that are not normally shown in Denmark are presented to others, as if to say that here is something that means something to me. Then the rest of us can take them to ourselves, bring them into our everyday situation and use them there. By alternating between exhibitions of Danish and foreign visual artists, Danergalleriet has helped to set a dialogue in motion and to bring about a mutual influence.At times Danergalleriet has also been used as a laboratory, where a new idea is tested before it can be placed in a larger context.Or it has been used for exhibitions which simply said that this is not where it is happening. It has been a negation of art as an isolated phenomenon, a constant reference to art as an integrated part of everyday life – where everyone ceases to speak about art because whatever each human being touches and does something to is art. Because we are all image-makers.But to reach that point, a change in society and in the individual human being is required. Danergalleriet's exhibitions have also expressed this in their equal presentation of popular forms of expression, women's exhibitions, the direct political message, and images that show another way of experiencing, which comes to us when the individual human being is freed from the mechanisms of oppression in capitalist society.As such, Danergalleriet is not something isolated, but part of a larger movement towards the classless society, towards socialism, decentralized local democracy, women's liberation, towards every human being gaining, within a community, the freedom to express themselves – opposed to the society based on the division of labour, where art constitutes a separate institution isolated from other institutions.That is how I have understood Danergalleriet, and it is from that understanding that I wrote about its exhibitions. It is from that understanding that Danergalleriet's historical significance for art is that it is part of the movement that seeks to abolish "art".Warm regardsJane Pedersen — — — Category: letters — Jane PedersenUnderlien9460 Brovst6.11.73Dear Jean Sellem,Thank you for your letter of 9 October about writing a "presentation of Danergalleriet and its historical significance for art". I should have replied long ago, but I have not been able to, because I have been completely absorbed in preparing teaching trips to Copenhagen, a very special course, "Fællesbilleder", and, together with other women, producing the first issue of our new publication "Land & By", which I am enclosing.This does not mean that I have not thought a great deal about the task you gave me and about how it might be carried out. I have also spoken with John Hunov about it.My considerations have led me to the conclusion that I cannot write such a presentation. This is connected with many things, among them also the fact that since about 1 May this year I no longer write for "Information", which was very dissatisfied that I tried to cover all of Danergalleriet's exhibitions. They were, for the most part, the only exhibitions I wrote about, and this created an imbalance in relation to the two other art critics, which the newspaper could not tolerate.It is also connected with the fact that I cannot really regard Danergalleriet as a gallery. And I believe that a gallery, however much it tries to place itself outside the institutions and commercial art life, nevertheless remains a part of them as long as our society functions according to the present capitalist system. Art will constantly be turned into a commodity.For me, Danergalleriet, with its limited opening hours, has been a paradox of a gallery, a negation of a gallery. That is how I have had to regard it, without being entirely certain whether John Hunov regards it in the same way. It is an information point where some images that he has found and that are not normally shown in Denmark are presented to others, as if to say: here is something that means something to me. Then the rest of us can take them to ourselves, bring them into our everyday situation and use them there. By alternating between exhibitions of Danish and foreign visual artists, Danergalleriet has contributed to getting a dialogue started and to a mutual influence taking place.At times Danergalleriet has also been used as a laboratory, where a new idea is tested before it can be placed in a larger context.Or it has been used for exhibitions which simply said that this is not where it is happening. It has been a negation of art as an isolated phenomenon, a constant reference to art as an integrated part of everyday life – where one stops talking about art because whatever every human being touches and does something with is art. Because we are all image-makers.But in order to reach that point, a change is required both in society and in the individual human being. Danergalleriet's exhibitions have also expressed this through their equal presentation of popular forms of expression, women's exhibitions, the direct political message, and images that show another way of experiencing, which comes to us when the individual human being is freed from the mechanisms of oppression in capitalist society.As such, Danergalleriet is not something isolated, but part of a larger movement towards the classless society, towards socialism, decentralized local democracy, women's liberation, towards every human being gaining, within a community, the freedom to express themselves – opposed to the society based on the division of labour, where art constitutes a separate institution isolated from other institutions.That is how I have understood Danergalleriet, and it is from that understanding that I wrote about its exhibitions. It is from that understanding that Danergalleriet's historical significance for art is that it is part of the movement towards abolishing "art".Warm regardsJane Pedersen — — — Category: letters — galerie s:t petri s:t petri kyrkogata 5 fack 7 221 01 lund 1 sverige tel 046-14 78 00jean sellemLund, 29 December 1974Dear John!A couple of days ago Jean received a text by Jean Le Gac which he would very much like to publish together with the images you have received.I hope that you will be able to make a fine poster from the material. Jean will probably call you one of these days...It would be good if you could send back the booklet with the images after you have used them.We have kept the gallery open throughout Christmas, with poetry/film on Christmas Eve! Hopefully you too have had a peaceful and pleasant holiday.We both wish you all the best for the New Year.MarieP.S. The text for the poster is enclosed separately in the letter! P.S.! — — — Category: letters — Dear Marie and Jean,If you feel like it and are able to, we would very much like to see you in Killeberg on Saturday 13 July. I have also written to Paul Armand; perhaps you could contact him and take him along in the car! We are travelling up there on Tuesday the 9th, so we will be able to receive your reply beforehand if you are unable to come.We would like you to bring:1 bottle of red wine per personbed linen/sleeping bag or similargood weathera little special food for you, since you are vegetarians!Greetings from Birte Inge & john — — — Category: letters — Dear Jean,Thank you for the post. The date suits me quite well. I will exhibit a photo series by Joel Glasmann (References....) plus the posters I have made for the gallery’s exhibitions. I have planned these two things for the smaller room; in the large room I would like to make an exhibition with Paul Gernes. I have arranged with him that he will come to Lund and set up the exhibition. From what date is the space empty?I have made photocopies of Jane’s text for you. Don’t you think you could have a small card printed with the accompanying text, to be sent out together with Jane’s text!Affectionate regardsbirte inge / john — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — Dear Jean, thank you for your helpfulness regarding Gette.The following text should appear on the poster:DANER GALLERIETKronprinsessegade 46 D, Københavnfrom 25/2 - 2/3 1974possibly from 1/4 - 6/4 1974 (if that suits better?)I would like to receive the draft for the poster no later than14 days before the exhibition, affectionate greetings to youboth in Lund,birte Inge & john — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — Dear Jean,As the Le Gac exhibition opens on Monday at Daner Galleriet, I would like you to send me the material immediately.Affectionate regardsJohn — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: visual — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: visual — — — Category: press