For decades, the Kenneth Balfelt Team has tackled a range of societal challenges, working with everything from drug consumption rooms to prisoner’s self-development while using the methods of art. Together with Johan August, they now focus on performance anxiety and stress among young students in Denmark as they invite the audience to take part in their new project Sowing the Seeds of Love

A recently published report known as the National Health Profile 2021 reveals that the mental health of Danes is in sharp decline, including that young people in Denmark are affected by stress to a greater extent than before. Sowing the Seeds of Love is an art project comprising four stages of development, all aimed at using artistic practices to find solutions to issues of performance anxiety and stress among young students.

Socially committed and participatory in scope, the exhibition is set in two specially designed architectural pavilions inside the courtyard of Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Here, all interested parties can stop by to explore a range of artistic methods used in previous projects by the Kenneth Balfelt Team. Visitors can also take part in the creation of the new art project through workshops held in the exhibition pavilions. With this approach, Sowing the Seeds of Love gives visitors insight into artistic processes that are not normally visible to audiences.

As part of the project, the Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan August collaborate with University College Copenhagen to investigate the possibility of creating new social and physical initiatives that can counteract the growing stress levels experienced by young people today. Here, students, teachers and professionals from University College Copenhagen’s teacher programme will take part in interviews and workshops side by side with the audience.

The development process will end with a ‘vernissage’ held on 30 June from 17.00 to 22.00, where the results will be presented to the visitors and the University College of Copenhage. The results will subsequently be on display until the exhibition closes on 7 August 2022.

Over the course of the last decades, the Kenneth Balfelt Team has developed artistic methods and theories aimed at solving specific, real-life societal problems. They have worked with everything from drug consumption rooms and homeless shelters in Copenhagen to prison inmate programmes in Niger and Norway. For four years now, the Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan August have researched and developed initiatives that can prevent stress in our society, cities and working lives.

Sowing the Seeds of Love at Kunsthal Charlottenborg represents the next stage of the Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan August’s contribution to the exhibition Work it Out at Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Aalborg in 2021, which was about facilitating de-stressing and meaningful meetings. Here, the pavilion offered an alternative kind of meeting room with a relaxing atmosphere, one where nature is invited inside in a specially designed architecture whose organic forms, natural sounds, plants and stones creates a setting reminiscent of a garden and a greenhouse for human growth. Supplemented by a programme of social activities, this setting offered means and methods for holding de-stressing, more meaningful and creative meetings.

The exhibition Sowing the Seeds of Love was realised with generous support from Profile A / S, Scantruck, Chr. Juul Andersen A / S, Regnestuen, Vandkunsten, Atelier Kristoffer Tejlgaard, the City of Copenhagen, Riisfort A / S, Ege Carpets, Skagerak, Bymarkant, Deichmann Planter and the Augustinus Foundation, the Beckett Foundation, the Obel Family Foundation, the Knud Højgaard Foundation, the Politiken Foundation, the Danish Arts Foundation, the William Demant Foundation and the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation.

WORKSHOPS – requires registration:

Phase 1 – Context analysis and user involvement
Workshop 1: 10 Maj at 17-20
Workshop 2: 17 May at 17-20

Phase 2 – Programme Description
Workshop 3: 24 May at 17-20

Phase 3 – Solution design
Workshop 4: 31 May at 17-20
Workshop 5: 8 June at  13-16
Workshop 6: 14 June at  17-20

Phase 4 – Execution, modelling and sketches
Workshop 7: June 21 at 17-20
Workshop 8: June 28 at 17-20

To participate in the workshops, registration is done by e-mail at booking@kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk. Write in the subject what workshop you would like to participate in. The  distribution of the 15 seats happens after a ‘first come first served’ principle. It is free to participate and a meal will be served during the workshop. The workshops take place in one of the pavillons in Kunsthal Charlottenborg’s courtyard, where bypassers and visitors may witness and listen in on the workshops.

OTHER ACTIVITES 

Friday 6 May

At 12.00 – 13.30: Group interview 1
At 14.30 – 16.00: Group interview 2

Monday 9 May
At 09.30 – 11.00: Group interview 3 (fully booked)
At 12.00 – 13.30: Group interview 4 (fully booked)
At 14.30 – 16.00: Group interview 5 (fully booked)

Tuesday 10 May
At. 10.00 – 12.30: Reflection about group interview 1-2

Wednesday 11 May
At 10.00 – 14.00: Reflection about Workshop 1

Thursday 12 May
At 09.30 – 11.00: Group interview 6
At 12.30 – 14.00: Group interview 7
At 15.00 – 16.30: Group interview 8

Monday 16 May
At 09.30 – 11.00: Group interview 9
At 12.30 – 14.00: Group interview 10
At 15.00 – 16.00: Group interview 11

Tuesday 17 May
At 10.00 – 14.00: Reflection about group interview 4-9

Wednesday 18 May
At 10.00 – 11.00: Reflection about Workshop 2
At 12.00 – 14.00: Reflection about Workshop 2 (continued)

Wednesday 25 May
At 10.00 – 11.00: Reflection about Workshop 3

Wednesday 1 June
At 10.00 – 11.00: Reflection about Workshop 4

Thurday 9 June
At 12.00 – 16.00: Reflection about Workshop 5

Wednesday 15 June
At 12.00 – 16.00: Reflection about Workshop 6

Wednesday 22 June
At 12.00 – 16.00: Reflection about Workshop 7

Wednesday 29 June
At 12.00 – 16.00: Reflection about Workshop 8

Interview: An interview takes 1,5 hours where Kenneth Balfelt and Johan August interviews a groups of 5-7 people about the life as a young student regarding stress, performance pressure and more. Registration for interviews must be done by e-mail to adam@kennethbalfelt.org. Write in the subject field, which date you would like to sign up for. It is free to participate and the seats will be filled up after a “first come, first served” principle.

The interviews will take place in the pavillons in Kunsthal Charlottenborg’s courtyard, where bypassers and visitors may witness and listen in on the interviews.

Reflection: At the reflection you get to overlook the work of Kenneth Balfelt Team. During the reflection sessions Kenneth Balfelt Team will reflect upon the results from the workshops and interviews, which will be at use in Kenneth Balfelts following work.

Kenneth Balfelt Team har i årtier løst samfundsudfordringer fra fixerum til fængselsindsatte med kunstens metoder. Sammen med Johan August sætter de nu fokus på præstationspres og stress blandt unge studerende i Danmark, når de inviterer publikum til at være en del af deres nye projekt Sowing the Seeds of Love.

Den for nyligt udkomne Nationale Sundhedsprofil 2021 viser, at danskernes mentale helbred er stærkt nedadgående, og at Danmarks unge er påvirket af stress i højere grad end hidtil. Sowing the Seeds of Love er et kunstprojekt i fire udviklingsfaser, der skal finde løsninger på præstationspres og stress blandt unge studerende, gennem en kunstnerisk praksis.

Den socialt engagerende udstilling finder sted i to specialdesignede arkitektoniske pavilloner i gården på Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Her kan alle interesserede komme forbi i kunsthallen og gå på opdagelse i kunstneriske metoder fra Kenneth Balfelt Teams tidligere projekter. Samtidig kan de besøgende selv deltage i skabelsen af det nye kunstprojekt gennem workshops i udstillingens pavilloner. Sowing the Seeds of Love giver dermed de besøgende et indblik i en kunstnerisk proces, som normalt ikke er synlig for publikum.

Som en del af projektet samarbejder Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan August med Københavns Professionshøjskole, for at undersøge muligheden for at skabe nye sociale og fysiske tiltag, der kan modvirke det stigende stressniveau som unge oplever i dag. Her skal de studerende, lærere og fagpersoner fra Københavns Professionshøjskoles læreruddannelse deltage i interviews og workshops side om side med publikum.

Udviklingsforløbet afsluttes med en “fernisering” den 30. juni kl. 17-20, hvor resultatet præsenteres og overrækkes til Københavns Professionshøjskole og de besøgende. Det vil efterfølgende være at se over sommeren til udstillingen lukker.

Kenneth Balfelt Team har gennem de seneste årtier udviklet kunstneriske metoder og teorier til at løse konkrete samfundsproblemer. Fra fixerum og Mændenes Hjem på Vesterbro til fængselsindsatte i Niger og Norge. Gennem fire år har Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan August arbejdet med research og udvikling af tiltag, der kan forebygge stress i vores samfund, byer og arbejdsliv.

Sowing the Seeds of Love på Kunsthal Charlottenborg er næste fase af Kenneth Balfelt Team // Johan Augusts bidrag til udstillingen Work it Out på Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Aalborg i 2021, der handlede om at skabe afstressende og meningsfulde møder. Her skabte pavillonerne et anderledes mødelokale i en afstressende atmosfære, hvor naturen inviteres indenfor i en specialdesignet arkitektonisk form, der med organiske former, naturlyde, planter og sten ligner både en have og et drivhus for menneskelig vækst – og med et socialt program gav metoder til afstressende, mere meningsfulde og kreative møder.

Udstillingen Sowing the Seeds of Love er realiseret med generøs støtte fra Profile A/S, Scantruck, Chr. Juul Andersen A/S, Regnestuen, Vandkunsten, Atelier Kristoffer Tejlgaard, Københavns Kommune, Riisfort A/S, Ege Carpets, Skagerak, Bymarkant, Deichmann Planter samt Augustinus Fonden, Beckett Fonden, Det Obelske Familiefond, Knud Højgaards Fond, Politiken-Fonden, Statens Kunstfond, William Demant Fonden, Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansen Fonden.

WORKSHOPS

Fase 1 – Kontekstanalyse og brugerinvolvering
Workshop 1: 10. maj kl. 17-20
Workshop 2: 17. maj kl. 17-20

Fase 2 – Programformulering
Workshop 3: 24. maj kl. 17-20

Fase 3 – Design af løsninger
Workshop 4: 31. maj kl. 17-20
Workshop 5: 8. juni kl. 13-16
Workshop 6: 14. juni kl. 17-20

Fase 4 – Udførsel, model og skitser
Workshop 7: 21. juni kl. 17-20
Workshop 8: 28. juni kl. 17-20

Tilmelding til workshops skal ske pr. e-mail til booking@kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk. Skriv i emnefeltet, hvilken dato du ønsker at tilmelde dig til. Uddelingen af de 15 pladser sker efter først-til-mølle. Det er gratis at deltage og der serveres et måltid undervejs. Alle workshops afholdes i den ene af de to pavilloner i kunsthallens gård, hvor forbipasserende og kunsthallens gæster har mulighed for at overvære og lytte med på de forskellige workshops.

ØVRIGE AKTIVITETER

Fredag d. 6. maj
Kl. 12.00 – 13.30: Dialoginterview 1
Kl. 14.30 – 16.00: Dialoginterview 2

Mandag d. 9. maj
Kl. 09.30 – 11.00: Dialoginterview (fuldt booket)
Kl. 12.00 – 13.30: Dialoginterview 4 (fuldt booket)
Kl. 14.30 – 16.00: Dialoginterview 5 (fuldt booket)

Tirsdag d. 10. maj
Kl. 10.00 – 12.30: Refleksion over dialoginterview 1-2

Onsdag d. 11. maj
Kl. 10.00 – 14.00: Refleksion over Workshop 1

Torsdag d. 12. maj
Kl. 09.30 – 11.00: Dialoginterview 6 (fuldt booket)
Kl. 12.30 – 14.00: Dialoginterview 7 (fuldt booket)
Kl. 15.00 – 16.30: Dialoginterview 8 (fuldt booket)

Mandag d. 16. maj
Kl. 09.30 – 11.00: Dialoginterview 9 (fuldt booket)
Kl. 12.30 – 14.00: Dialoginterview 10 (fuldt booket)
Kl. 15.00 – 16.00: Dialoginterview 11 (fuldt booket)

Tirsdag d. 17. maj
Kl. 10.00 – 14.00: Refleksion over dialoginterview 4-9

Onsdag d. 18. maj
Kl. 10.00 – 11.00: Refleksion over Workshop 2
Kl. 12.00 – 14.00: Refleksion over Workshop 2 (fortsat)

Onsdag d. 25. maj
Kl. 10.00 – 11.00: Refleksion over Workshop 3

Onsdag d. 1. juni
Kl. 10.00 – 11.00: Refleksion over Workshop 4

Torsdag d. 9. juni
Kl. 12.00 – 16.00: Refleksion over workshop 5

Onsdag d. 15. juni
Kl. 12.00 – 16.00: Refleksion over Workshop 6

Onsdag d. 22. juni
Kl. 12.00 – 16.00: Refleksion over Workshop 7

Onsdag d. 29. juni
Kl. 12.00 – 16.00: Refleksion over Workshop 8

Interview: Et interview varer 1,5 time hvor Kenneth Balfelt og Johan August interviewer en gruppe på ca. 1-4 personer om livet som ung studerende i forhold til stress, præstationspres mm. Tilmelding til interviews skal ske pr. e-mail til adam@kennethbalfelt.org. Skriv i emnefeltet, hvilken dato du ønsker at tilmelde dig til. Uddelingen af pladser sker efter først-til-mølle. Det er gratis at deltage. Alle interviews afholdes i den ene af de to pavilloner i kunsthallens gård, hvor forbipasserende og kunsthallens gæster har mulighed for at overvære og lytte med på de forskellige interviews.

Refleksion: Her har du mulighed for at overvære Kenneth Balfelt Team arbejde. Her reflekteres der over resultaterne af workshops og interviews, som skal danne baggrund for Kenneths Balfelts videre arbejde. Det kræver ikke tilmelding at deltage i refleksioner.