TIME EUROPE
October 30, 2000, Vol. 156 No. 30
Down by the Danish Seaside, A Work of Art
A museum offers fine art and fine views
By CHARLES P. WALLACE
While most European cities boast at least one interesting art collection, few are as aesthetically appealing as the famed Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in the Copenhagen suburb of Humlebæk. Although it is a trek to get there — a 45-minute train ride followed by a quarter-hour walk — the visit is well worth the effort.
Louisiana owes its name not to New Orleans but to its original owner, an 18th century master of the royal Danish court named Alexander Brun. He married three times and, remarkably, each wife was called Louise, so he named his mansion in his wives' honor. A century later, a Danish multimillionaire named Knud Jensen bought the house, turned it into a museum of modern art, and decided to keep the name that Brun had bestowed on the place.
While the collection at the Louisiana is first-rate, what really sets it apart is the location: a promontory overlooking the sea. One side of the museum features a stunning sculpture garden with works by the likes of Henry Moore, Max Ernst and Joan Miró. On a clear day small sailboats glide past on the whitecap-tossed water of the Øresund sound, a delightful reminder of Denmark's seafaring past. The sculptures seem an integral part of the grounds, even including a faux flying saucer which is open so visitors can troop in and out. On the other side of the museum is a lake, once a hiding place for privateers, the government-sanctioned pirate ships that preyed on British shipping in the 18th century. Nowadays, the lake is a place for a leisurely stroll or for a rest on a well-worn tree trunk, where one can observe ducks and other waterfowl.
For its autumn exhibition, entitled "Vision and Reality: Conceptions of the 20th Century," the museum explores the ambiguous role that art plays in modern society. It seeks in particular to explore the relationship between art and architecture. Among the items on display are original pieces of furniture from the Bauhaus school such as the original Breuer chair, a stainless steel tube bent artfully into a sinuous shape, connected by strips of leather for the seat and backrest. Installations and interactive exhibits help the viewer cross the gap between art and architecture.
Currently, in the museum's graphic display area is an exhibit of photographs by the American photograher Annie Leibovitz of her work from Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and other magazines from 1970 to 1999. Her pictures of wounded and dead from the Bosnian war are particularly moving. If you decide to visit and take the train, be sure to ask the ticket seller for the discount ticket that includes both train fare and museum admission.
Meanwhile, if you want something a bit closer to the city, I heartily recommend a visit to the newly opened Danish Design Center. Denmark is a hotbed of the latest in industrial design, from sleek hi-fi and TV components offered by Danish manufacturer Bang & Olufsen to weirdly shaped yet surprisingly utilitarian coffee pots. The current exhibition traces changes in car design and features six classics from German automaker DaimlerChrysler. The museum, telephone 33 693369, is at HC Andersens Boulevard 27 in the heart of Copenhagen.
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