This exciting exhibition containing original artworks by
Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark will open to the public
at Meridian International Center on June 4, 2010.
Meridian International Center
Cafritz Gallery at White-Meyer House
1624 Crescent Pl NW, Washington, DC 20009
Gallery hours: 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday – Sunday
The Wild Swans includes decoupage set designs and costumes created by Her Majesty for the recent film adaptation of this well-known Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. A combination of visual and cinematic arts bring an old tale to life in the 21st century. Green screen technology will permit gallery visitors to understand how this approach was used to integrate the costumes and designs into the film.
Cut paper artworks created by Hans Christian Andersen in the mid-19th century and on loan from the Odense City Museums in Denmark also will be on view, as will images and text about Andersen’s life and times.
The exhibit is presented by Meridian International Center in collaboration with the Royal Danish Court, the Embassy of Denmark, JJ Films in Copenhagen, and the Odense City Museums.
The Wild Swans exhibition is an example of how cultural projects can provide opportunities for meaningful international partnerships. Because of the unique nature of the presentation, Meridian and the Royal Danish Embassy felt that a display featuring artworks by H.M. the Queen of Denmark would be of great interest in Washington, DC. For several years, Her Majesty has focused on the literary works of Hans Christian Andersen, interpreting his stories through her own illustrations and often emphasizing themes inherent to the original 19th century texts. Her artworks reveal a clear connection between contemporary Denmark and its sovereign and the country’s famed story-teller, artist and dramatist.
This exhibition features H.M. the Queen of Denmark’s decoupages and costumes for a new film adaptation of Andersen’s well-known tale by JJ Films in Copenhagen. These artworks, digitized and employed in the motion picture through green screen technology, form the background for the actors in an imaginative interface between art and cinema. The exhibit installations, designed by the Odense City Museums, the parent organization of the famed Hans Christian Andersen Museum, meld Her Majesty’s creations with the fairy tale in a theatrical display.
To bring this exhibition to fruition, Meridian’s curators traveled to Denmark, meeting with the director and professional staff at the Odense City Museums. They worked with their Danish counterparts to add new elements such as original cut paper works by Hans Christian Andersen and depictions of the writer’s life from the museum’s holdings. The visit also included meetings with JJ Films and the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Danish Court in Copenhagen.
Meridian International Center, in collaboration with the Royal Danish Court, the Embassy of Denmark, JJ Films and the Odense City Museums, is pleased to present The Wild Swans. This endeavor underscores the value each institution places on the role of art and culture in creating connections among people worldwide.