DITTE EJLERSKOV
OXYTOCIN
5 NOVEMBER–6 DECEMBER 2020
REVIWED BY
DAGENS NYHETER
11 NOVEMBER 2020
For several years now, Ejlerskov has been in the process of cleansing her practice from external inspiration such as mainstream culture, politics, general negativity, fear and expectations. Recently her work has therefore been focused around the more formal aspects of her practice, represented here by a series of large-format brush-painted colour gradients. These works pose as healing and slightly vibrating, as chromotherapy, if you will. Chromotherapy’s effects were discussed as early as 1025 in the “Persian Canon of Medicine”, and methodologically consists of the use of light in the form of colour to balance the lacking energy in a person’s body - on physical, emotional, spiritual and mental levels. In Ejlerskov’s practice these days this claim is an ongoing investigation. Also the works reflect back to American modernist colour field painters and their aim to uplift an entire generation suffering from anxiety and trauma.
Alongside working with the calming colour therapy of the Dream Gradient Paintings, Ejlerskov began a new representational vein of work a few months before the birth of her second child. Using her studio practice as a means to gather momentum in the upcoming event of birthing, Ejlerskov decided to look into the science and control of hormones. She wanted to lean into love and to master giving birth without medication. It is the first time Ejlerskov presents works from this painting series.
The sculptural women in these paintings are opposing each other in a physical fight. They both represent hormones fighting within the human body. For women the oxytocin hormones are released during sex and especially during and after childbirth. They also release during other intimate moments, orgasms and even during hugs. For this reason oxytocin is often called the 'love hormone'. The opposing hormone could be adrenaline - the intense fight or flight hormone released to save us in a stressful situation. With an ancient marble sculpture (“The Uffizi Wrestlers”, Florence, Italy – artist unknown) being the base for remodelling, the depicted fighting bodies are directly translated from male to female and placed in a scenery linking back to renaissance exteriors compositions and forward to 3D modelled settings.
The two hormones cannot be present in the human bloodstream at the same time. It is either or. It is an unbroken battle.
DITTE EJLERSKOV (b.1982) lives and works in Denmark. She has studied at Cooper Union New York, Aarhus Art School, The Funen Art Academy and Malmö Art Academy. Ejlerskov's works has been shown at Viborg Kunsthal, Viborg, DK; CCA, Centre of Contemporary Art, Andratx, ES; Röda Sten Konsthall, Gothenburg; Kristiansand Kunsthall, NO; Malmö Konsthall; Moderna Museet Malmö; Lunds konsthall; Ystad konstmuseum; Stenersenmuseet; Borås konstmuseum; Uppsala konstmuseum; Kunstmuseum Stuttgart; Nordic Contemporary Paris; Cneai Chatou; Kunstmuseum Bonn; Sommer & Kohl Berlin; KUBE in Ålesund; Gallery North Norway in Harstad. In Denmark at Aarhus Kunstbygning; Kunsten in Aalborg; Arken in Ishøj; Art Centre Silkebord Bad and Museums Centre Aars; Den Frie Udstillingsbygning and Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen. She has also exhibited at Bonn Art Museum in Germany; Cneai in Chatou in France; Amos Anderson Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland. The Museum of Sketches in Lund and at The Royal Academy in Stockholm among others. Ejlerskov received a multitude of grants, both from the Danish and Swedish government.