MARIANNE GRØNDAHL

A RETROSPECTIVE

APRIL 17TH - JUNE 5TH 2010

©Marianne Grøndahl, Coal miners strike, Rhonda Valley, Wales, 1985

Fotografisk Center has the pleasure of presenting Marianne Grøndahl, A Retrospective, the largest showing of her work in Copenhagen. The starting point is - as the title already suggests - a broad presentation of her black and white photography covering a major part of her huge body of work.

There are colossal pendular movements throughout Marianne Grøndahl's body of work, swinging typically between high and low culture, between the pinnacles of fine art, especially classical music, and ballet, to the portrayal of the poor or excluded, from the coal miners in 1980s Wales to people in Denmark today. The visual sensibility is not to be mistake no matter where the motifs are found and above all one must not be intimidated by an often lingering pathos, which is rather a result of the passionate than the pathetic. The distinctive style and tone of this work is so strong that one cannot avoid being drawn to it. The photographs are not overbearing, nor corporal, but have lives of their own.

Marianne Grøndahl (* 1938) is undoubtedly one of the most productive Danish photographers with around 20, often bulky books behind her. She has grappled with major projects, some that took 10 years to finish and most always result in publication. The recurring themes are music and ballet, places where Marianne Grøndahl simultaneously finds inner peace and belief in the present and future. The books among others are "Det Danske Folkestyre - Christiansborg” (2007), “Fra tid til anden - en fotobog”, Garnisons Kirke (2006), “Skaberrum” Statens Værksteder for Kunst og Håndværk (2005), “Tidsrum - seksten danske komponister 1989-2002” (2002), “Positioner. “Den Kongelige Danske Ballet - 1980-94” (1994), “Ballettens børn” (Det Kongelige Teaters Balletskole, 1986), and “Portræt af et Orkester” (Danmarks Radios Symfoniorkester, 1979).


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