ARKEN, DENMARK.- The Arken Museum of Modern Art will present Fernand Leger - Man in the New Time from February 5, 2005 to May 16. Fernand L間er's (1881-1955) original imagery conveys the new, dynamic big city culture that emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century. A key figure in Paris, the metropolis of art, like Pablo Picasso, L間er ranks among the twentieth century抯 most significant modern artists.

ARKEN is highlighting L間er's humanist vision and his portrayals of man in modern civilisation. L間er wanted to build a better society and felt morally bound to improve the general conditions of man through his art. Inspired by the stream of new technological advances he often employed a machine aesthetics. L間er drew his subjects from the life around him as evident in his many pictures of the bustling life of the big city, women, men and children picnicking in nature, construction workers, acrobats, circus performers and swimmers.

ARKEN's exhibition will illustrate how L間er depicted man's existential conditions in the modern world of 1905 to 1955, incorporating all of L間er's 渦vre. In addition to his paintings, drawings, water colours and tapestries it will include examples of his films, book illustrations, theatre and ballet sets as well as photographs of his murals. Furthermore L間er's thoughts on art theory will be available in the form of excerpts from a number of sources.