Jeremy Deller takes over Kunsthal Charlottenborg in his first solo exhibition in Scandinavia

On the occasion of CPH:DOX, Copenhagen’s international documentary film festival, Kunsthal Charlottenborg presents a solo exhibition with the award-winning British artist Jeremy Deller. Through film, photography, graphic works and sculptural installations the exhibition will accentuate documentary aspects of Deller’s practice, which records extraordinary moments of our time and brings together a wide range of works created over the course of the last twenty years.

Press view: Thursday 16 March 11.00-12.00
Opening: Friday 17 March 17.00-21.00
Exhibition period: 17 March – 6 August 2023

Jeremy Deller’s solo exhibition entitled Welcome to the Shitshow! occupies the entire north wing of Kunsthal Charlottenborg and brings together a wide range of works and homes in on various aspects of British culture.

First up is the large-scale installation Warning Graphic Content, which consists of an extensive selection of works on paper, graphic arts, prints and posters from the period 1993–2021. Throughout his career, Deller has challenged the idea of the unique and exalted work of art, and in keeping with this approach, the exhibition opens with a kind of retrospective that sets the tone for the following rooms in terms of theme and aesthetic.

The exhibition also includes the film works English Magic, which the artist created for the British pavilion in Venice in 2013, and Putin’s Happy from 2019, which documents groups of protesters in front of the British Parliament in London, respectively fighting for and against Brexit – Britain’s farewell to the EU. Deller has always been interested in how groups of people come together in a community to engage in a cause, be it politics or music.

In a tightly conceived photo series, photographs from David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust Tour in the UK in 1972 are juxtaposed with visual news reports from British daily newspapers that same year (the miners’ strike, the Northern Ireland Troubles, etc.), thereby intertwining defining moments from pop culture with landmark current events. Another work, the film Our Hobby is Depeche Mode from 2006, follows fans of the British band all over the world – from Mexico to Romania, from Iran to Brazil – and examines the sense of connection and cohesive power of being part of a collective movement.

Other works delve further back in history, for example to archaeological finds from prehistoric times and to the Battle of the Somme during World War I, where the British army suffered heavy losses. The exhibition features film documentation of Deller’s extensive performative work We’re Here Because We’re Here from 2016, which marked the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. For this project, thousands of participants across Britain helped create a living but temporary memorial to the fallen soldiers.

Jeremy Deller (b. 1966, London) is one of Britain's most recognized contemporary artists. He was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize in 2004 and represented Great Britain at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. He has had countless solo exhibitions and film screenings, and has exhibited all over the world including Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Mexico City, New York City, Moscow, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Curated by Henriette Bretton-Meyer, this exhibition is realised in collaboration with CPH:DOX and supported by the Augustinus Foundation, the Danish Arts Foundation, Knud Højgaard's Foundation, and the Obel Family Foundation.

Events in relation to the exhibition
29 March – 16 April: Everybody in the Place
Film screening of Jeremy Deller's film from 2018 (61 min.)
Further info here

17 March 11.30-19.30:Eight Hour Rock Show
Film program curated by Jeremy Deller
CPH:DOX Mezzanine Cinema, Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Further info here

17 March 20.00-22.00: Depeche Mode, my part in their Downfall, and other stories
Artist talk with Jeremy Deller
CPH:DOX Social Cinema, Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Further info here

Kunsthal Charlottenborg and CPH:DOX present a special evening with one of the most renowned contemporary artists on the occasion of the opening of his exhibition Welcome to the Shit Show!.

Join Jeremy Deller in a celebration of the rich legacy of live music and club culture. Experience a performative talk as he explores the music films and subcultures that have inspired his personal and professional journey. After a deep dive into the world of music, get ready to dance the night away with a series of captivating DJ sets. Make sure not to miss Deller’s Eight Hour Rock Show, a non-stop, all-day screening of music films.

Practical information
Jeremy Deller: Welcome to the Shitshow!
17 March – 6 August 2023
Opening: 17 March at 17.00-21.00
Film program: Friday 17 March 11.30-19.30
Artist talk: Friday 17 March 20.00-22.00
Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Kongens Nytorv 1, 1050 Copenhagen K
Free admission to the opening

Invitation: Press view on 16 March at 11.00–12.00
The day before Kunsthal Charlottenborg officially opens the exhibition to the public, there will be a press view where Jeremy Deller and curator Henriette Bretton-Meyer will introduce the exhibition. If you wish to attend, please notify Head of Communications Jeannie Møller Haltrup at jmh@kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk.

For more information and materials, please contact:

Jeannie Møller Haltrup
Head of Communications, Kunsthal Charlottenborg
jmh@kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk / (+45) 3374 4629

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