A R T S T A M P . D K

NEWS

Review

By Holger Vicents

"Not for Sale?": Artist outfits Greenland with Stars and Stripes

• This is Denmark's greatest crisis as a nation in a long time, according to Sam Jedig.

He has indeed portrayed Donald Trump twice, dressed in a burka. Now, visual artist Sam Jedig attempts to encapsulate the controversial statements of the upcoming American president about Greenland in a new, highly topical artwork, titled in Danish, "Ikke til salg?" ("Not for Sale?").

The Short Version

• Artist Sam Jedig has created a work that comments on Donald Trump’s statements about Greenland by depicting the American flag on the ice sheet.
• The piece, "Not for Sale?", is part of Jedig's project Artstamp.dk, which uses stamps as a platform for debate on major political issues.
• Jedig has previously portrayed Trump in a burka on stamps as a commentary on Trump’s political facades and economic power.
• Trump’s remarks about Greenland have created political turmoil in Denmark, leading Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) to call a meeting on the matter.
• Jedig believes that Trump’s statements succeed in creating confusion and insecurity in Denmark.

(This summary is generated by artificial intelligence and quality-assured by journalists.)

Greenland in a Larger Context
“Greenland is not just a geographical location but also a piece in a larger game of resources, sovereignty, and power,” says Sam Jedig in a press release, providing the background for why the artist and gallery owner from Zealand—also known for collaborations with the world-renowned Olafur Eliasson—could unveil the work "Not for Sale?" this Wednesday.

Commentary on a Sensational Statement
A new work using stamps as its medium presents Greenland from an aerial perspective, with an American flag firmly planted in the ice sheet. The drawing is a commentary on Donald Trump’s sensational statement that he would not rule out using military and economic pressure to secure control of Greenland.

“This is Denmark's greatest crisis as a nation in a long time. How do we even handle this absurd statement? We are left utterly confused, and that is what I aim to mark with this stamp,” explains Sam Jedig to Sjællandske Nyheder.

Artist: A Trump Fantasy
He emphasizes that the new art stamp, "Not for Sale?", which visually references the 1969 moon landing, is not a declaration of support for Donald Trump. The Republican is beginning his second term as American president on January 20.

“It is an image of the fantasy running through Trump's head,” explains Sam Jedig, who earned the nickname "cubeman" for his experimental art walks shortly before the coronavirus crisis.

- Targeting the Most Vulnerable
Donald Trump’s remarks about Greenland have sent shockwaves through the political landscape in Denmark. On Thursday evening, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) called the other party leaders to an emergency meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss the matter.

In Kirke Sonnerup, where Sam Jedig both resides and welcomes visitors to his gallery, Trump’s statements have also sparked “wonder.” There was no doubt in Jedig’s mind that he needed to provide his own commentary on the uproar.

“Trump perhaps hits the most vulnerable aspects of our democracy by triggering a great deal of anxiety. This applies both to the business sector and on a broader level concerning the foundation of our security-based society.”

“Now we are all left wondering: what will he come up with next? Will he take Greenland?”
This uncertainty is a source of immense frustration, according to Sam Jedig.

A Years-Long Art Project
The new art stamp focusing on Greenland is printed in a limited edition of 288 copies and is the latest addition to Sam Jedig's nearly 20-year-long project Artstamp.dk. Since 2007, with help from various guest artists, Jedig has sought to breathe new life into the now-defunct payment medium and give it a new role as a platform for debate and reflection, particularly on major political tensions, the climate crisis, or human rights issues that dominate the media agenda.

In this context, Jedig has previously used stamps to depict Donald Trump’s characteristic features. The first was during Trump's 2016 election campaign, showing the now 78-year-old politician dressed in a burka. Later, Jedig revisited the image with a new stamp titled Money Talks, which also depicted Trump in Islamic attire.

“It was an image of Trump's ability to wear masks for his population. We never see the true identity. It’s the money that talks,” says Sam Jedig.

Your new work is based on Trump’s remarks about Greenland. Can it be understood as Denmark having already lost control of Greenland to the U.S.? Is that truly what you believe—that the game is already lost from a Danish perspective?
“This is an attempt to highlight a problem: the U.S. already has a presence in Greenland (Thule Air Base, editor), but now they want actual ownership. What does that mean for us as Danes? That is the question,” says Jedig.

MARTIN KIPPENBERGER / LARS SCHWANDER

Mar6n Kippenberger (1953-1997) was undoubtedly one of the greatest German painters of the 20th century. On October 25th 1996 I had an agreement of a photographic session with him through Galerie Mikael Andersen, Bredgade, Copenhagen. The day before we were four people for dinner at l'Educa6on Na6onale, a French restaurant in what is popularly called "The Piss Drain" at the centre of the city. It became very late. We sat and drank red wine un6l the restaurant closed. Before that, Kippenberger had shown some of the tricks he knew, i.a. with twis6ng his tongue... When we were out on the street at night, I asked if we s6ll had an appointment the following day. And he replied that there were no problems. Whatsoever.

The next day, exactly at 10, as we had agreed, the door opened and in came Kippenberger wearing his matching Burberry cap and scarf and a long black coat. And in his hand he held the obviously obligatory cigare]e. He exuded a rare authority. I asked him to stand in front of a white wall like we were in a studio. And we did pictures in front of his pain6ngs, which were s6ll stored along one wall. The mo6fs of his pain6ngs were primarily tables and chairs, so I subsequently asked Kippenberger to sit in a chair, both against the white wall (again), in front og the already hung pictures as well as a series where he partly stands in front of his pain6ngs and sits in the chair that I had placed in front of his pictures. In this way, Kippenberger reflects in a chair in front of his painted chairs

.

One of his long-term collaborators, Chris6ne Hahn of the all female punk group Malaria!, who also helped set up the large retrospec6ve Kippenberger exhibi6on, "sehr gut / very good" in Hamburger Barnhof, Berlin, 2013, has stated:

How long before Mar6n died were these taken? He looks very haunted. Starkly real, strong, and sad - all at the same 6me. I knew him and worked with him when he was 25 and just beginning his career as a serious ar6st. He was so handsome and alive, but even then he was a slave to alcohol. He was a driven ar6st, a generous human being. Very lovable and inspiring

We did these pictures at the end of October 1996, barely five months passed before Kippenberger died in Vienna. These are also some of the latest recordings of him. It's strange to look back at these photographs: Kippenberger appears here in his ar6s6c zenith and only 43 years old. At the same 6me he seems both young and old.

We did in total three rolls of film consis6ng of twelve images each: two black and white films and one colour. A total of 36 photographs, all of which have now been acquired by Galleri Stalke Collec6on, which is also the first 6me that the photographs have been created in their en6rety. Some pictures have been exhibited in Denmark and abroad, e.g. at the Na6onal History Museum, Frederiksborg Castle - in Galerie Mikael Andersen (Copenhagen, 2001), Galerie Veneuille St.-Péres (Paris, 2001) and in Ural Vision Gallery (Budapest, 2016).

Lars Schwander is among others represented in following collec6ons: Bibliothèque Na6onale (Paris), The Royal Library (Copenhagen), Musée de la photographie (Charleroi), Museum of Photographic arts (Odense), Ros Photo (St. Petersburg), Louis Vui]on Founda6on (Paris), Thomas Olbricht Collec6on (Germany), Lenono Photo Archive (New York), Stalke Gallery (Kirke Saaby), various private collec6ons in Europe and USA.