The last time I created a field study notebook was in undergrad at UNCC. I had taken art history classes in NYC and London and the final assignments were detailed notebooks of your findings.
Side note: I fell in love with the work of artist Storm Tharp (flyer pictured above), who is based in Portland, Oregon. It began my curiosity of the Pacific Northwest, where I eventually lived for six years.
In theory, the idea of continuing to chronicle my travels post graduation was always a goal, but unfortunately, the reality has been that the project always got buried in my to do list.
It wasn’t until recently that I was inspired to revisit the idea after learning of the late Danish artist, Per Kirkeby. Currently, on exhibit at the Statens Museum for Kunst, are his series of collages from his project Field Books.
As a trained geologist and artist, he would travel with a notebook, using a variety of media to sketch his observations. For Kirkeby, his diverse subject matter was often themes such as architecture, trees, drawing techniques, erotic motifs or maps.
I started by creating collages on the go. I made a sight specific series of scavenged squares in different scenarios.
Each location is part of a collection of observations bound in a little pink book.
#1: Nyhavn Townhouses
#2: Parks, Gardens & Cemeteries
Superkilin Park (designed by Superflex), The King’s Garden, Assistens Cemetary & Frederiksberg Park
#3: Svanemølle Beach & Torvehallerne Market
#4: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is named after a man with three wives, all of them named Louise.
#5: SMK Museum - Asking important questions
#6: Galleries: V1, Gether Contemporary, & Bo Bjerggaard featuring favorite find - Peter Linde Busk
#7: Coco the Cat in Copenhagen
Stayed at an Airbnb with a cat named Coco.
#8: Design Museum
#9: The Cisterns
#10. Rundetaarn (The Round Tower)
Europe’s oldest Observatory
