February 22nd was the presentation of the “UP and BEYOND” portrait painting of Ulla M. Wewer, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Sciences (2006-2022). She was, amongst many other things, the initiator and fundraiser for the materialisation of Mærsk Tower, for which this portrait was created and where it is installed.
Dean Bente M. Stallknecht hosted the event, which also had speeches by Liselotte Højgaard, Freddy Johansen, Ulla M. Wewer and yours truly. The work was unveiled in the most beautiful way by Kirsten and Freddy Johansen, whose foundation has donated the new painting to the faculty.
The entire process, which began in March 2022 – See the video on the process – has been an extremely exciting, intense, and rewarding collaboration with Ulla. A total of 16 drawings and paintings as preliminary studies have led to the finished result; including “The 4 temperaments’ synaesthetic portrayal method”, that Ulla Wewer kindly wanted to become part of the process.
UP and BEYOND is Ulla’s and the collective motto for the scientific ambition that lies in the DNA of the Faculty of Health and Sciences. (Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet)
The title can be seen directly in the painting: “UP” is obviously present in the focal point of the central perspective – high up (approx. 70 m). And “BEYOND” represented by the yellow part in the middle of the surface. It contains exactly the colour tone that is in the underpainting on the entire surface of the work in all its 16 individual parts of the relief structure created by Silvia Magrinyà-Costán; whether painted in a pointillistic, hyperrealistic or impressionistic expression. In some places there are well over a hundred transparent layers on top of the already many layers existing in the warm basic tones “beyond”. It is not a coincidence that the section, which has been retained in the warm tones, includes the University of Copenhagen under the Church of Our Lady. (Vor Frue Kirke)
The Mærsk Tower is open Mo-Fri from 07.00-17.00.
My best regards, Lars