When New Museum in New York marks the reopening of the museum with the exhibition 'New Humans: Memories of the Future' in September, it will feature works by Ovartaci in interaction with well-known names such as Salvador Dalí, Francis Bacon, Alberto Giacometti and Marcel Duchamp.

It is the Italian New York-based curator Massimiliano Gioni who approached and asked us to borrow works by Ovartaci for the exhibition. Gioni first encountered Ovartaci at the 2019 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism.

The exhibition 'New Humans: Memories of the Future' will revolve around the 20th and 21st century's changing existential understandings and definitions of being human.

As a result of the reopening, New Museum expect around 100,000 visitors. The museum has been under renovation during the last couple of years and the new extension, which doubles the museum's exhibition space, was designed by star architects OMA/Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas.

New Museum opened in 1977 and is New York's leading museum fully dedicated to contemporary art, and internationally recognized for its adventurous spirit.

On March 13  19 PM - 20 PM, Aarhundredets Festival invites you to delve into the significance of Ovartaci from a European perspective.

In an open dialogue, museum director Mia Lejsted and researcher and senior lecturer at VIA University College, Brian Benjamin Hansen, examine Ovartaci’s impact within a European context. Drawing on recent European exhibitions of Ovartaci’s artworks, the speakers explore the relevance of Ovartaci’s art in contemporary societal debates and how it offers thought-provoking perspectives and new ways of understanding current issues.

The event takes place in the auditorium of Kulturhus Bunkeren.

On March 6 we opened the exhibition NET//VÆRK (NET//WORK) in collaboration with our YOUTH Today group.

NET//VÆRK arises and lives in the meeting with the exhibition’s guests, when they literally create connections between the four dimensions in the installation: NATURE – SOCIETY – PRESENT and FUTURE.

Participants connect statements in the work with colourful treads and create narratives that explore the complexity of being young today and so form the basis for conversations about youth, today and tomorrow.

NET//VÆRK becomes a living organism – an art installation, that develops and changes throughout the entire exhibition period until May 25.

Stop by – pick your tread and connect your statements and lets us create a powerful journey of hope and transformation together through an open dialogue about the conditions of being young today and tomorrow.

On  March 6 the exhibition ‘Inventing Mania!‘ Opened at the Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum Charité in Berlin. The exhibition is based on the ‘Engineer von Tarden’ and his tireless work to invent a sailing airship. The exhibition includes a video of Ovartaci’s work and study for his hand-operated helicopter. The exhibition is open until  November 31 2025.

Two works of Ovartaci were recently found in Galleri Gallo’s archive in Aarhus. They were found after many years hidden among the numerous works in the gallery.

In connection with Galleri Gallo’s art auction  March 1 the two works were handed over to the museum.

‘We have looked foreward to receiving the two Ovartaci works and even more to display them to our guests” says Mia Lejsted, director of Museum Ovartaci.

STRONG FEELINGS, LONGINGS & DREAMS

 -are the focal points in Mikkelberg Kulturcenter’s newly opened exhibition “Indre verdener” (Inner Worlds).

You can experience works by Jan Nedergaard, Svend Wiig-Hansen, Lis Zwick, Niels Reumert, Kim Olesen og Viggo Böhrnsen-Jensen at the exhibition. The works are from Mikkelberg’s own collection and loan from Den danske Kirke in Sporskifte, Museum Ovartaci and privately owned.

At the opening of the exhibition Mia Lejsted, director of Museum Ovartaci quoted Jan Nedergaard who “……through his art tried to search outside and into people’s usual perception of life”.

Mia Lejsted continued "You get a picture of on the one hand, a searching person, where everything is at stake at the same time - on the other hand, you also find a certain calm and order, either in the structure of the motifs on the canvases or in the circle or the triangular figure, which leads us in the direction of something unshakable".

Through his relatively short life Jan Nedergaard created amazing works, some of which are in our collection.

The exhibition is open until March 30 2025.

Jacob Fabricius, director of Art Hub Copenhagen and former artistic director of Kunsthal Aarhus, is currently presenting the exhibition Anslagets kunst – at sætte tonen for en udstilling at Malmö Konstmuseum from December 5, 2024 to May 5, 2025.

The exhibition explores the art of curating. Fabricius has structured the exhibition as five conceptual ‘openings’, each introducing a different theme. The five openings – one of which features seven striking artworks by Ovartaci – serve as potential starting points for further exhibitions.

Join us on April 10 at 4:30 PM for an After-Hours Talk at Museum Ovartaci, where Jacob Fabricius will present his research and curatorial work. The exhibition in Malmö is part of his postdoctoral research at Aarhus University.

In recent years culture as health promotion has experienced great interest and growth. There is a widespread agreement among researchers that aesthetic involvement in art and culture can stimulate our senses and contribute in a positive way to mental well-being and health.

On Thursday 3 April you have the opportunity to get a unique insight into the daily work with health promotion, when representatives from Museum Ovartaci, VIA University College, Aarhus Kommune and Region Midt meet in a moderated dialogue on the subject. The dialogue is moderated by Lene Grønborg Poulsen.  

Before the dialogue you have the opportunity to visit the exhibition that seeks to challenge our common sense and prejudices – for example about normality – and encourage dialogue about difficult topics about the human mind.

Deep inside we are far out – there is more to madness than you think.

Program

At 18:00-19:20 The museum is open for a short visit

At 19:30-20:30 Dialogue about culture and health promotion

The panel of debaters are:

Brian Benjamin Hansen, researcher and docent – VIA University College
Ditte Svendsen, Health Innovation consultant – Region Midt
Morten Lind Pedersen, Health and Care specialist – Aarhus Kommune
Mia Lejsted, director – Museum Ovartaci
Young representatives from Museum Ovartacis UNG-råd

The arrangement takes place at the Auditorium in Kulturhus Bunkeren, Olof Palmes Allé 11, Aarhus N.

The arrangement is supported by ‘FO Aarhus’ debatpulje’

Our obsession for ‘perfection’ prevents us from making mistakes and finding our own unique style. Let’s change that!

On April 5, we are letting go of perfection in a drawing workshop with Sofie Riise Nors, where we will create fun, quirky and unique portraits of celebrities. According to the writer, feminist and speaker Sofie Riise Nors, our creativity is held back by constant self-criticism. The relentless and intense exposure of perfect bodies and impeccable beauty on social media has led to a pervasive form of self-surveillance – also known as “habitual body monitoring” – affecting people of all genders.

The event takes place at Glassalen at Kulturhus Bunkeren.

The event is sponsored by Region Midt and Nordea-Fonden.

Make a difference for art and Museum Ovartaci and become a member of ’Friends of Ovartaci’.

‘Friends of Ovartaci’ was founded in 2016 and helps to ensure that the museum can continue creating exciting exhibitions, develop and preserve the unique collection  of the museum and continue the work for removing prejudice towards mental illness through art and art history.

Your support makes a difference.

A membership gives you the following benefits:

Free entry to the museum
Invitation to exhibition openings
Invitation to various events
Special membership price on selected events
Free entry cardholders and one companion if you have a ’Membership + one’

The price of a yearly membership:

225 DKK for a personal membership
325 DKK for a ‘Membership + one’