UNDER HEAVEN Halfdan Venlov 27.10 – 15.12.2022

past exhibition

27 Oct

Announcement

Oblong is excited to present Under Heaven, a solo exhibition of new darkroom prints by artist Halfdan Venlov (b. 1994) photographed at Assistens Cemetery in the Nørrebro neighbourhood of Copenhagen.

Curator: Jonathan Lieb

Graphic Design: Ray Weng

Related Programming

Opening on Thursday 27th October, 17.00–21.00

Closing on Saturday 17th December, 14.00–20:00

Exhibition Statement

Featuring a series of C-type and Silver Gelatin prints, Under Heaven affirms Venlov’s approach to the photographic narrative. Portraits, shared moments and details of the cemetery combine in a timeless rendering of adolescence. Photographed over the course of three Copenhagen summers, Under Heaven is an enchanting ode to youth and the romance of carefree days.

Dedicated to the medium of portraiture, Venlov’s practice is based on traditional photographic technique, developing and hand-printing his work in his private darkroom in Copenhagen. The series Under Heaven was conceived in the spring of 2020, when Venlov returned from his studies in Glasgow as a result of the national lockdown in the UK.

Revisiting Assistens Cemetery during this isolated period allowed Venlov to observe the garden in a different light. He was drawn to the dualism between the youthful characters who hang out there, and the connotations of mortality tied to a cemetery. Going on daily walks around the garden, he began engaging directly with his subjects, taking note of any revealing expressions or intimate gestures when faced with the camera.

The portraits he made during that summer, and the two that followed, became the focal point of this body of work. Like his subjects, Venlov’s work feels natural and unforced; unhurried by time or the burden of the outside world. He photographs almost exclusively in the soft dappled light afforded by the foliage of the cemetery which, combined with a shallow depth of field, creates calming, dreamlike portraits.

Often surprised by Venlov’s desire to photograph them, his subjects would become active participants in the process. Venlov’s empathy with his subjects is apparent in their relaxed demeanor and attitude toward the camera. Embedded in the work is an invitation to look closely and deeply at the subject. Under Heaven is not merely a record of everyday life, but about the pleasure of being truly seen.

Artist

Halfdan Venlov (b. 1994) is a Danish artist. He completed his Bachelor of Honours in Fine Art Photography at the Glasgow School of Art in 2021 and graduated from København’s Film & Fotoskole in 2018. He now lives and works in Copenhagen.