Art and dialogue

By Pernille Taagaard Dinesen. Curator at ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum

Any artist knows the expression "the fear of the white canvas". This figure of speech is a picture-rich description of an artist's initial concern for the imminent creative process. Will the inspiration make its inroad? Will the creativity be a faithful campanion during the project? And will the flow do its bit so thai the artist in the final stages has had success in transforming the empty surface to a coherent and finished work of art?

To Maria Dubin, "the white canvas" is a wall of no less than 16 by 68 metres. With­out the possibility to change a brushstroke, she has worked her way through the great surface with ink on brushes of all sizes, which combined has created a harmony of bo­tanical growth forms and organic nuances; 'nooks and crannies'. With its markedly great size the final result is ane of Aarhus' biggest works of art - a work of art distinct from the traditional museum as an institution, and a lang way from the closed rooms of galleries.

"The Wall" is an impressive piece of work, which - historically speaking - transpires from a century lang tradition for artistic decoration. Whereas previously the privilege to enrich your life with art was only for the select few in society, it is a very different matter today. Art has lang since broken with its monopoly of power and with the frame of traditional museums, and it lives and is alive in all shapes and forms in the city, and in private companies and in the public spaces tao. In other words, 'art' is no longer a disfant and unreachable size but an undeniable factor in the life of the modern man. We meet art when we least expect it- and we don’t miss an opportunity to take part in it.

"The Wall" is in other words an artwork created for the people - and with the people With its botanical theme the art points out thai Ramboll is a company in growth. To be here is to be fertilized with fertile ideas. Creativity is flourishing and with room for diversity and new thinking there is always a productive idea bursting to gel out Maria Du bi n's art is a visual statement thai can be enjoyed by the company's employees and guests on a daily basis -and not least it will let !hose people be inspired in the years to come... ■