Exhibition text:

In the exhibition  Preppers Christine Overvad Hansen draws threads between the contemporary crises and Anna Ancher’s many depictions of women’s domestic work; in their daily pursuits of preparing supplies or knitting and sewing.

In a newly produced installation located at two locations in Skagen – in the exhibition space at Skal Contemporary and at Det Grå Fyr on Grenen –  Preppers unfold the care that goes into preparing for something uncertain.

We know the term prepper from popular culture. A prepper is a character that is often both condemned and shamed for their excessive criticism of the system and skepticism of the outside world. But prepping is also a concept that seems to be taking root and changing in our language and reality. The ongoing wars and crises feel closer than ever, our screens are eroding the distance from them, and the geopolitical tensions are putting pressure on us; as people, consumers, and privileged individuals. The geopolitical uncertainty drips down on us as rising electricity prices and public recommendations that we must be prepared to be able to survive several days without electricity, water, and the like. We are in a situation where we should perhaps be preparing for the disaster, for the unpredictable.

In her exhibition Christine Overvad Hansen insists on drawing out the caring aspect of the concept and reminding us that preparing is an act of care: a way of being closer and more present in life here and now – whether it is gathering supplies or processing materials that can protect and warm the body.

In Preppers  Christine unfolds the concept in sculptures made from ceramic, stainless steel, textile, white concrete, resin, and cashmere in two locations, where she connects the lifestyle of the past with a hope for a more caring future.

Preppers  is open from Friday June 21st to Saturday August 3rd 2024, and can be viewed at Skal Contemporary on Sct. Laurentii Vej 118 and at Det Grå Fyr on Fyrvej 36.

Christine Overvad Hansen (DK) graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2016. She lives and works between Copenhagen and Roskilde. Her works can be seen in a number of public and private collections, including the collection at Horsens Kunstmuseum. Christine Overvad Hansen’s practice often unfolds in a way where body and sculpture as materials and performative gestures merge and become one.

Preppers is curated by Anne Møller Christensen and Sara Løvschall Grøntved, and is supported by the Statens Kunstfond, 15. Juni Fonden, Augustinus Fonden, Knud Højgaards Fond, Palaces and Culture Agency, Frederikshavn Municipality, Statens Værksteder for Art, and L.F. Foght’s Foundation.