Aften i Frihavnen 1913 - 1915

Editor: So, here we have Edvard Weie's "Aften i Frihavnen," made between 1913 and 1915, a pencil drawing currently housed in the SMK. It has such a stark, unfinished quality to it. What jumps out to you when you see it? Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the economy of means. Weie's choice of a simple pencil elevates the act of drawing – often relegated to preparatory work – to the final artistic statement. Think about the paper itself. Was it a commercially produced sheet, or something handmade? Its texture, its source…these all feed into our understanding of Weie’s artistic labor and perhaps even his access to materials. Editor: That's fascinating. I wouldn’t have considered the paper so deeply. So, is the industrial context relevant here? Curator: Absolutely. “Frihavnen,” or the Free Port, suggests a specific kind of labor and trade, an exchange. How does this industrial backdrop interact with the perceived spontaneity of the Impressionistic style? Is he romanticizing labor, or documenting it with unflinching honesty? Or something in between? Editor: I see what you mean! The loose lines could indicate the fast pace of the docks. How do you see the composition? It almost seems like two separate studies brought together. Curator: The composition’s almost jarring juxtaposition prompts consideration of production methods of art. It disrupts traditional compositional harmony, foregrounding materiality over illusionism. Also, the lack of clear distinction of figure-ground highlights production challenges inherent to his choice to emphasize a quickly changing harborscape. Editor: This has given me a lot to think about. I really hadn't considered the artistic choices in terms of material access or labour like that before. Curator: And it's these details that enrich the narrative surrounding this drawing and Weie’s artistic practice! By examining material origins and art's historical context, we are empowered to question traditional boundaries separating art and life.