HUMLEBÆK.- Thanks to generous donations and support, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark presents a major exhibition of new acquisitions. Starting today, 137 artworks – sculptures, paintings, videos, installations, photographs, drawings and prints – are on view in the exhibition NEW WORKS in the museum’s South and North Wings.
In all, 78 artists are represented in the Louisiana’s new exhibition. Forty-two are new to the collection, including El Anatsui, Marlene Dumas, Martha Rosler, Ed Ruscha and Amy Sillman. All works in the exhibition have been acquired over the past four years, mainly as gifts from individuals, artists and foundations.
Exhibiting new acquisitions provides the chance for our visitors to encounter a great number of artists and artworks that are not necessarily linked by any theme, period or “ism.” The common denominator is simple: The works were acquired within the past four years. Naturally, the exhibition can also be seen to express our gratitude for the support we receive from foundations, artists and private donors. -- Poul Erik Tøjner, director, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana traditionally presents exhibitions of new acquisitions every three to four years. Meanwhile, many works in the collection are on continuous view in changing presentations or on loan to exhibitions in Denmark and abroad. The Louisiana’s collection totals more than 4,000 works.
We collect in order to display the art – at the Louisiana or in the many Danish and international exhibitions to which we lend works. The collection belongs to all of us. --- Poul Erik Tøjner
The Collection
The Louisiana Collection is international in scope, spanning the period from 1945 to the present and beyond. This forward-looking approach demands close attention to the dynamic scene of contemporary art and artists. The aim has never been to represent the full timeline of modern art. Instead, the collection is built around clusters of works and artists, as well as key artistic periods.
Artworks are not experienced only against a white wall. They gain depth and perspective in interaction with other art. The collection is the museum’s DNA, but constantly evolving. --- Poul Erik Tøjner.
Working for renewing the collection and closing gaps, wherever possible, is ongoing. Recent additions in classical modernism include five paintings and holograms by Ed Ruscha (b. 1937), all on view in this exhibition. Also featured is House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, a series of 20 photomontages created in 1967-72 by American artist Martha Rosler (b. 1943) that has long been considered a classic.
The collection also evolves through the acquisition of major works of contemporary art, such as Aunque me espine la mano (Even if I Prick My Hand, 2021), a video installation by the Mexican artist Ana Segovia (b. 1991), and Mourning Marsyas (2024), a large painting by the South African artist Marlene Dumas (b. 1953).
At the Louisiana, it is also a tradition for exhibitions to seed the collection and leave marks. Visitors to NEW WORKS will recognise artworks and artists that have been on view at the Louisiana over the past four years.
The exhibition includes works by the following artists: Bas Jan Ader, El Anatsui, Gunnar Aagaard Andersen, Diane Arbus, Pia Arke, Lutz Bacher, Firelei Báez, Alvaro Barrington, Pauline Boudry & Renate Lorenz, Elina Brotherus, Cecily Brown, Dora Budor, Andrea Büttner, Daya Cahen, George Condo, Bruce Conner, Alex Da Corte, A K Dolven, Marlene Dumas, Öyvind Fahlström, Flavia Gandolfo, General Idea, Poul Gernes, Gauri Gill & Rajesh Vangad, Gauri Gill, Nan Goldin, Paul Graham, Rodney Graham, Shara Hughes, Dorothy Iannone, Arthur Jafa, Ann Veronica Janssens, Yu Ji, Rashid Johnson, Asger Jorn, Barbara Kasten, Ragnar Kjartansson, Kiki Kogelnik, Jannis Kounellis, Agnieszka Kurant, Firenze Lai, Zoe Leonard, Candice Lin, Robert Longo, Michel Majerus, Calvin Marcus, Marisol, Paul McCarthy & Mike Kelley, Julie Mehretu, Louise Nevelson, Astrid Noack, Catherine Opie, Frida Orupabo, Yuri Pattison, Richard Prince, Tal R, Jon Rafman, Pipilotti Rist, Bunny Rogers, Martha Rosler, Susan Rothenberg, Mika Rottenberg & Mahyad Tousi, Ed Ruscha, Dana Schutz, Zineb Sedira, Ana Segovia, Allan Sekula, Amy Sillman, Mladen Stilinović, Superflex, Wolfgang Tillmans, Rosemarie Trockel, Carrie Mae Weems, Issy Wood and Cheng Xinhao.
