On 18 November, SABSAY Gallery will publish a new book with the paintings of one of the 1970’s most prominent female artists, Ursula Reuter Christiansen. The book “Poppies Mutate into Bats. A 60-year Expanse of Paintings” can be pre-ordered by sending an email to info@sabsay.com.
During the past year, the SABSAY team has been delving into Ursula Reuter Christiansen's painterly production - from her active involvement in the women's movement in the 1970's to her new large-scale action paintings created during the pandemic. The release of the book "Poppies Mutate into Bats. A 60-year Expanse of Paintings" is a celebration of the artist's diverse and feminist oeuvre, unfolding her ever-evolving approach to painting.
"There was a need for a book with a complete overview of Ursula Reuter Christiansen's works on canvas, a book to demonstrate the painter she is, and it was urgent", says Masha Faurschou, the founder of SABSAY Gallery. The book, which is hand-bound and printed in a limited edition of 300 copies, contains the most complete chronological overview of all Reuter Christiansen's paintings to date. The accompanied texts by Mai Dengsøe, Sanne Kofod, and Michael Juul Holm provide a framework for presenting the comprehensive archive of paintings included in the publication.
For Ursula Reuter Christiansen the project has been an opportunity to explore her art production from the past 60 years. "This has been a very ambitious and very difficult project because I had never written down which year each of these pictures were made, information of the dimensions, owners, and often even the titles. I am grateful that we, despite all the problems, have realized this big and fantastic book", the artist says.
After starting her collaboration with SABSAY in 2018, Reuter Christiansen has had two gallery shows of her new works shown at SABSAY, and most recently a large retrospective exhibition organized by SABSAY at Faurschou Foundation's exhibition space in Copenhagen (on view by appointment until 26 November). She continues to prove her influence as a leading artist of her generation, having recently been referred to by critics as "a volcano on the Danish art scene'' (Lisbeth Bonde, 3 August 2021). In the international context, the painter continues gaining popularity as well; her most recent shows have been at MdBK Leipzig (2019), The Box LA (2019) and Kristiansand Kunsthall (2021). Next year, she will open another exhibition at Oslo Art Society in Norway.
The book was created with support from Faurschou Foundation, Ny Carlsbergfondet, 15. Juni Fonden, Augustinus Fonden, Beckett-Fonden, Statens Kunstfond, and Arne V. Scleschs Fond. The book is available for purchase by contacting SABSAY at info@sabsay.com.
ABOUT URSULA REUTER CHRISTIANSEN
Ursula Reuter Christiansen was born in 1943 in Trier, Germany. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Düsseldorf, under Professor Joseph Beuys. In 1969 Reuter Christiansen moved to the Danish Island, Møn, with her now late husband Henning Christiansen. Here she continued working as an artist, raised her children and was part of the feminist movement. Her work spans from film and performance to sculptures, installations, and paintings. Much of the inspiration for her paintings stems from personal experiences and influence of Joseph Beuys's strategy of conflating art, life and activism.
ABOUT SABSAY GALLERY
SABSAY is a contemporary art space in the center of Copenhagen. SABSAY values above all the art which serves as an instrument of global change. Delicate selections of art objects should turn into messages with powerful content, fostering a worldwide dialogue.