Category Archives: inspiration

Louisiana | Museum of modern art

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on June 27, 2010 – 18:35
Filed under art & design, inspiration, living in denmark, other people's photography| 0 Comments

It’s been ages since I’ve had a solo afternoon up at Louisiana. Reminded me a lot of my first half year in Copenhagen, when I didn’t know all that many people (hardly any actually) and Louisiana was the place I could retreat to, to lose myself in the exhibitions, forget how lonely it was and empty my brain of all the things there are to think about when you’ve uprooted yourself and moved to another country. Things have obviously changed since then, and I’m well settled (most days) – but being up there today, and with a lot on my mind these days – the sanctuary was the welcome break I didn’t know I’d needed.

Sophie Calle

The sheer creativity of French photographer & writer Sophie Calle has me so SO inspired. There is a follow-through with each concept that I’ve rarely seen before, and each concept is so clear, solid and well thought out – that I found myself exploring every little detail to the end. Imagine – finding an address book belonging to a stranger and deciding to make a project out of it by contacting every person in the book, interviewing them one by one to build a mental picture of who this address book owner is – coming closer and closer to knowing him, without actually knowing him.

Or how about inviting friends, family and strangers to, one at a time, sleep in your bed for 8 hours each so that you could photograph them sleeping? The result is 28 sleepers and 173 photographs. How intimate – inviting so many, even strangers (one of them drunk), to sleep in your own bed. Interestingly, despite the personal nature of sleep, the installation remains unsexual and anti-romantic – as the sleepers arrive one at a time and do not talk about anything deeply personal during their interviews.

And the biggest of all (if the others bordered on obsessive, this tips the scales) – “Take Care of Yourself.” Calle receives an email from a lover ending their relationship – at the end of which her ex-lover says ‘take care of yourself’. How she does that is just epic – she distributes the letter to 107 women professionals, from grammar professionals who scrutinize his writing, to psychiatrists who evaluate his mental profile, from actresses who act out their own would-be reactions to such a letter to opera singers who sing the ex-lover’s words. Calle is quoted as saying that at first it was therapy, seeking and documenting all these professional evaluations of the letter, but that in the end it worked – the project replaced the man, and the suffering was gone. The woman really knows how to pour everything into a project. Hats off to that.

Summer in the City

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on June 8, 2010 – 23:02
Filed under inspiration, living in denmark| 2 Comments

Copenhagen is incomparable in the summer time.

Every patch of park grass (and there’s a LOT of that) is decked out in picnic blankets and baskets, happy singles snoozing with a smile, couples lounging affectionately, and groups of friends cooking lunch on their mini-grills, drinking chilled white wine or a cold Carlsberg. The otherwise reserved Danes shed their seriousness together with their winter jackets, and it becomes clear what time of year it was when the surveyors came to Denmark to find the  ‘happiest people on earth’. The mood shift is formidable as the whole country breathes a sigh of relief and turns its smiling face towards the sun.

As luck would have it – I get to play tour guide again this year to friends and family visiting from Canada – which means even more occasion to explore new corners of Copenhagen – mixing old favourites with things I haven’t seen yet (and there’s almost nothing better than a new discovery!).

Here are a few of the events we’ll aim to check out (definitely send me a heads up if you’ve got extra suggestions) :

June 10-12
Start Festival in Vesterbro (originally called Vesterbro Festival)
Music festival with focus on DJs and World Music (100% driven by solar energy by the way)- at Øksnehallen and the space in front. http://www.startfestival.dk/

Jun. 07-16
Dansk Sommerballet 2010 (we’ll go to the June 13th production at Bernstorff Slotshave, Gentofte) http://www.kglteater.dk/

Mar. 16 – Nov.30
Argentinian Tango lessons for beginners at Tango y Vinos every Tuesday (now if I can just convince the boyfriend that this will be fun… apparently he locked himself in the bathroom as a kid when his mother tried to send him to dance classes – and he’s just done the same now after I mistakenly mentioned the Tango lessons…  but he can’t stay in there forever)

May 01 – Aug.25
Copenhagen Castle Concerts – free open air classical music concerts every Wednesday at 17.00. Every month the concerts are held at a different castle – in July they’ll be at Fredensborg Castle and in August they’re at Christiansborg Castle Church. http://www.castleconcerts.dk/

Jul.01-07
Roskilde Festival – I really do need to go to this one day (ok there I admit it – I’ve never been – which makes me so uncool, yes yes I know it).  At very least a day pass to see Prince is in order.

All summer
Kayak trips along Christianshavn’s Canals – various guided outing and duration options, with views of the old and modern mix of Danish architecture from the water. http://kajakole.com/kajakture

Jul. 01- 27
Summer Dance in Fælledparken – more open air free dance lessons (Swing, Latin, Tango) with great live bands. Monday to Thursday from 19:00 (I’d better not mention this one just yet – boyfriend might never come out of that bathroom at this rate).

Jul. 02-11
Copenhagen Jazz Festival (venues around the city, indoor and outdoor)
After July 11th – there’s jazz at the newly re-opened Montmartre Jazz House (apparently legendary)

Jul. 27- Aug. 01
Copenhagen Opera Festival – 9 (very affordable) operas to choose from at some amazing venues:
July 27 – 29 Opera On Location @ Frederiksberg Castle 20:00 (follow the opera singers around as they perform in rooms otherwise closed to the public)
July 29 – La Bohéme @ 17:00 @ Nytorv (free entry)
http://www.copenhagenoperafestival.com

First weekend in August
Stella Polaris
In Østre Anlæg (the park behind the National Art Museum, SMK) DJ’s turn out mellow slow tempo electronic music to a relaxed, sunbathing crowd of thousands. Entry is free and the atmosphere is always amazing. http://www.stella-polaris.dk

Aug. 06- 08
Islands Brygge Kulturhavn / Culture Festival
All kinds of music, dance shows, food/drink, sport, art and more, harbourside and in the sunshine. A brilliant day out each year. http://www.kulturhavn.dk/

Aug. 09- 15
Copenhagen Summer Dance (Tim Rushton) @ Politigården
19:30 each day – entry is free unless you want to reserve a seat (38kr). Imagine a ballet at the Police Headquarters! http://www.danskdanseteater.dk/forestilling.asp?ver=uk&menu=3&sublink=1&id=408

Out of addiction,  I’ve seen nearly every one of Tim Rushton’s modern dance productions over the last few years – the Dansk Danse Teatre troop are mesmerizingly beautiful to watch, and Rushton’s concepts are so original – that you sit entranced and enthralled until the dancers take their bows. Not to be missed.
There is also:
June 10-12 Dance Delicious (DANSEhallerne, Carlsberg)
May-June  (4 Saturdays) Spring Dance på Carlsberg

Aug. 15
Free open air Opera & Ballet @ Rosenborg Castle
The Royal Danish Opera and Ballet put on a free concert for the picnicking public (“bring cold wine” says the announcement) to celebrate the opening of the 2010 season – the best of last season is highlighted.

All year
Byvandringer/ Walking tours (various tours options, flat group price – so if you can get up to 12 people to join you, it’s pretty economical). When I lived in Nyhavn I saw the guide and his group quite often, overhearing the word “haunted” as they stood outside my front door and pointed at the building – I’ve been curious ever since! I was never sleuth enough to avoid notice when trying to eavesdrop – so forget quitting my day job to become a secret agent.  I love a good story from a real history buff with a fantastic gift for storytelling. www.copenhagen-walkingtours.dk

Got suggestions? I’d love to hear them…

The surprising truth about what motivates us

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on May 31, 2010 – 20:42
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Or to rephrase: The surprising truth about what doesn’t motivate us, and the not so surprising truth about what does.

Where any kind of rudimentary cognitive skill is required, higher reward actually decreases performance. What actually drives us (when people are paid just enough to take money off the table as an issue) is:

Autonomy / the desire to be self directed (drives engagement)
Mastery / the urge to get better at stuff (challenge and mastery, and wanting to make a contribution)
Purpose / companies that are flourishing are animated by purpose. People are purpose maximizers.

The big take away: If we start treating people like people, and get past the ideology of carrots and sticks and actually look at the science – we can build organizations and work lives that make us better off while making the world a little bit better too.

What motivates you?

Richard St. John’s 8 secrets of success

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on March 31, 2010 – 11:08
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Why do people succeed? Is it because they’re smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither.

Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.

Joe Kraus says, “Persistence is the number one reason for our success.” You gotta persist through failure. You gotta persist through crap! Which of course means “Criticism, Rejection, Assholes and Pressure.”

Women for Women International: The Butterfly Effect

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on March 27, 2010 – 10:26
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The butterfly effect is a metaphor for the concept that small, seemingly insignificant events—like the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings—can produce tremendous and unanticipated consequences.

Something that has brought a lot of joyful meaning to my life recently has been Women for Women International (an organization mentioned in “Half the Sky – Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Kristof & Wudunn). There is an overwhelming happiness to be had in supporting another woman’s determination to better her circumstances for herself and her family (despite every circumstance in her way). Sharing through sponsorship means women in war-torn regions receive guided support via financial and emotional aid, job-skills training, rights education and small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives.

This organization was also highlighted for the relatively high percentage of donation reaching end recipients, which was important for me.

Visit the website www.womenforwomen.org

Find “Half the Sky – Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” at Amazon.

Read Women for Women founder Zainab Salbi’s article about the untapped and under-appreciated capacity of women around the world to cause major and lasting change for good.
www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/travel/butterfly-effect-life-rollercoaster

Read More »

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!)

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on March 21, 2010 – 12:32
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“At the Web 2.0 Expo, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk gives a shot in the arm to dreamers and up-and-comers who face self-doubt. The Internet has made the formula for success simpler than ever, he argues. So there’s now no excuse not to do what makes you happy.”

While not all of us have a multi-million dollar (family business) safety net to fall back on – I think Gary makes some fantastic overall points about finding out what it is you want to do and making the commitment to go after it.

It takes work.
I appreciate that Gary repeatedly emphasizes the fact that it isn’t easy, and that it takes WORK. You have to hustle to get what you want (18 hours a day if necessary) – because it isn’t going to be handed to you on a plate just because you complained about it long enough. So many people let self-pity get in the way of finding and achieving all of the amazing things (that those of us that are close to them know) they’re capable of. It’s sad, unnecessary, and frustrating to watch.

Have patience.
Another point well made (and one I need to remind myself of). More often than not, the hustle doesn’t result in an immediate pay-off, so it was re-assuring to be reminded: It will come.

While the talk focused on monetizing/ making a living at what it is you love – the same principles could definitely be applied to life in general. Dropping what makes you unhappy and putting your energy into what you love (whether it’s family, meeting someone, learning a new language or learning to dance Tango) – it takes effort and it takes patience – but when you do, the good things will come.

Louisiana Colour in Art

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on March 8, 2010 – 13:33
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Spent a lovely afternoon wandering around Louisiana, admiring the courage and the vision of some wildly different artists – each focused on colour: nuances, relationships, interpretation. Interesting – the instant reaction to each piece, depending on how the colours had been set together.

Works spanned two centuries, and ranged from impressionists to spectacular light installations. Hardly a better way to spend a Saturday and definitely recommended. Make sure to check out Yoyoi Kusama’s “Gleaming Lights of the Souls” while you’re there.

“COLOUR in ART is a magnificent, visual journey of discovery into the inextricably close, but often stormy relationship between artists and colour in the twentieth century. It takes the viewer through an array of brilliant works by the greatest names in modern art.

COLOUR in ART includes each and every nuance. Here you experience the entire history and development of modern art, seen and told through colour. Comprising 150 works by 72 different artists, the exhibition explores how artists – from the late 1800s until today – have worked and experimented with taming and interpreting colour as a medium.”

http://www.louisiana.dk/uk/Menu/Exhibitions/Colour+in+Art

State of the Internet

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on March 8, 2010 – 10:54
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JESS3 / The State of The Internet from JESS3 on Vimeo.

State of the Internet was designed and animated by Jesse Thomas, for his lecture at AIGA Baltimore in Feb 2010. He is the CEO and founder of JESS3 a creative interactive agency specializing in social media data visualization. Includes some phenomenal statistics.

  • 1.73 billion internet users worldwide
  • 234 million websites
  • 126 million blogs
  • 84% of social network sites with more women than men
  • 27.3 million tweets per day
  • Facebook needs 30,000 servers (and they’re still growing)
  • 350 million people on Facebook
  • 4 billion photos hosted by Flickr

William McDonough: Cradle to cradle design Re-making the way we make things

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on February 28, 2010 – 12:19
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Reduce, reuse, and recycle’ urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. But as architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart point out in this provocative, visionary book, this approach only perpetuates the one-way, ‘cradle to grave’ manufacturing model, dating to the Industrial Revolution, that creates such fantastic amounts of waste and pollution in the first place.

Why not challenge the belief that human industry must damage the natural world? In fact, why not take nature itself as our model for making things? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we consider its abundance not wasteful but safe, beautiful and highly effective. Waste equals food.

Guided by this principle, McDonough and Braungart explain how products can be designed from the outset so that, after their useful lives, they will provide nourishment for something new – continually circulating as pure and viable materials within a ‘cradle to cradle’ model. Drawing on their experience in redesigning everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, McDonough and Braungart make an exciting and viable case for putting eco-effectiveness into practice, and show how anyone involved in making anything can begin to do so as well.”

Buy the book here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cradle-Michael-Braungart

Training the butterflies

Posted by Marianne Kjær Jensen on February 25, 2010 – 17:17
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I admit, I have a great fear of public speaking. Like most of us, it’s right up there with death and snakes. I think it’s mainly a matter of anticipation – because once I realize I haven’t actually died from the shock of having to step in front of all those people and say my piece, it doesn’t seem to be an issue – even borders on enjoyable (ok maybe that’s slightly overstated but it gets better, is the point).

Interviews, client presentations, even teaching – those I love.. seriously. I look forward to them like the nerd and keener that I am. I love the topic and I’ve always done my homework. But invite me to speak publicly  and you’ll see me looking for the nearest exit, with visions in my head of knees knocking and my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I’m almost certain the audience can hear it. Just the thought of it gives me a stomach full of butterflies.

Which is why I liked A List Apart’s interview with Scott Berkun about his new book – “Confessions of a Public Speaker”.

Read the interview here: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/interview-with-scott-berkun/