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| Form, Fitness and Rhythm in Motion:
The Danish Gymnastic Tradition in America April 20, 2006 – March 6, 2007 This exhibition is an exploration of the many ways Danish gymnastic traditions have found expression in America. The Danish Immigrant Museum’s Exhibit “Fitness, Form, and Rhythm in Motion: The Danish Gymnastic Tradition in the United States” Now Open Gymnastics. In the United States, it’s about young, small people careening across floor mats, twisting around bars, and sticking their landings in hopes of earning a perfect ten from the judges. But that’s American gymnastics. Danish gymnastics is something entirely different. The Danish Immigrant Museum’s major exhibit for 2006, “Fitness, Form, and Rhythm in Motion: The Danish Gymnastic Tradition in the United States” opened on May 1, 2006 and will run through March 6, 2007. The exhibit explores Danish gymnastics—its roots, influences, and growth into a sport that reflects Danish cultural values. Gymnastics are a part of growing up for every boy and girl in Denmark. Gymnastics has been a required element of the school curriculum since 1814. In the early 1800s, gymnastics instruction in Denmark was heavily influenced by German gymnastics, which focused on marching exercises and vaulting. The German gymnastics tradition, too, celebrates individual, not team, achievement. Danish gymnastics are about a healthy body and mind. In the late 1800s, after a large swath of Danish territory had been lost to Germany in the Dano-Prussian War of 1864, Danes began to turn away from all things German. Danish gymnastics came under the influence of Swedish gymnastics, which stressed the medicinal value of the sport. Danish gymnastics started to focus more on building strength and flexibility—and to celebrate the positive effect a healthy body has on the mind. In Denmark, gymnastics is about community, about the group. The folk high school movement in the late 1800s influenced Danish gymnastics and further embedded the sport in Danish life. The folk high school philosophy was that all people—not just the urban elite—should be educated. Students studied in community learning about Danish culture and history through discussion and lectures. There were no grades, no tiering of performance levels, no hierarchy at all. Students learned together, sang together, and practiced gymnastics as a group. In Denmark, then, gymnastics often looks like this: young and old people practice gymnastics, joining clubs and teams during the winter months. The goal is to create a healthy body by performing rhythmic routines to music, by vaulting, and by tumbling. The winter season often culminates in performances in front of the community—an opportunity to gather, socialize, and enjoy gymnastics. Our new exhibit “Fitness, Form, and Rhythm in Motion: The Danish Gymnastic Tradition in the United States” further explores the evolution of Danish gymnastics. Study photographs, see gymnastics equipment, watch a video of the 2006 National Danish Performance Team and leave with a desire to stretch, tumble, and move.Gymnastics are a part of growing up for every boy and girl in Denmark. Gymnastics has been a required element of the school curriculum since 1814. In the early 1800s, gymnastics instruction in Denmark was heavily influenced by German gymnastics, which focused on marching exercises and vaulting. The German gymnastics tradition, too, celebrates individual, not team, achievement. |
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| Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Protector |
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| The Danish Immigrant Museum 2212 Washington Street P.O. Box 470 Elk Horn, Iowa 51531-0470 712.764.7001 © Since 1983; All Rights Reserved Site by: Art of Computers |
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| Danish American Artist Series:
Rick Marzullo July 20, 2006 – January 3, 2007 Rick began paper cutting in 1967, after seeing the silhouette cutter at Disneyland. Some of his designs take hundreds of hours to create; others take fifteen minutes. He creates 20-40 designs a year and his work is in private collections all around the world. Mr. Marzullo has been honored with 12 one-man shows, participated in numerous group shows, and has lectured in many venues. Approximately 75 pieces make up this unique exhibit, with several on loan from private collections. |
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| From A Gifted Journey - The Paintings of S.D. Rodholm
2002 Narrating History Through Image - C.C.A. Christensen, Danish Immigrant Painter, Unfolds A Migration Story 2002 Scenes from Denmark 1 - Images of the Homeland 2001 - 2002 Wilderness Exodus - The Danish Mormon Experience in America 2001 Danish-American Cultural Life in Chicago 2000 Olaf Wieghorst - Artist of the American West 1999 - 2000 A Consecration of Hope - Baptismal Clothing from Immigrant Families 1999 And the People Came - Elk Horn's Folk School, a Crucible of Danish Immigrant History 1999 Embracing Two Worlds - The Thorvald Muller Family of Kimballton 1998 Tracking the Source 1997 - 1998 A Time of Promise - Display of Wedding Dresses 1997 |
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| A Passion For Coopering - The Life & Work of Niels Christian Thomsen
2003 Jens Dixen & the Brorson Folk School 2002 - Present Danes on the Northern Plains - Patterns of Settlement in the Dakotas, Montana & Wyoming 2002 |
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| Quilting Family History
2004 Exhibit This exhibit features two quilts devoted exclusively to family stories and family history. Margaret Christensen of Jacksonville, Iowa, lent the family quilt she made, (see below) which tells the history of her and her husband Orvie’s families over several generations, including their migration from Great Britain prior to the American Revolution and their more recent immigration from Denmark. Each block of Margaret’s quilt is documented in an accompanying notebook of primary sources materials, such as military discharge papers and copies of ships’ manifests, which will interest family researchers. |
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| The second quilt, which belongs to the Museum, focuses on the family of Jens Christian and Kirsten Marie Jensen, who emigrated from Denmark in 1868. They farmed near Dwight, Illinois, before moving to Cozad, Nebraska. Shortly after their move to Nebraska and a few weeks after giving birth to her seventh child, Kirsten Marie died. Jens appealed to Kirsten’s family in Denmark for help, which arrived in the form of Kirsten’s half-sister, Marie. She and Jens were married and eventually had another fourteen children. The quilt blocks reference the lives of the 20 children who survived into adulthood, as well as the children of the quilt-maker, Maren “Minnie” Jensen Pedersen, the fourth child from the first marriage. The quilt was assembled in 1938, and donated to the Museum by Minnie’s granddaughter, Lois Elna Christiansen Eagleton in 2002. |
| Danish American Artist Series:
Clint Hansen
January 19, 2006 – July 5, 2006 The display of Clint Hansen’s art kicks off a new exhibition series at The Danish Immigrant Museum. It is a series that will feature Danish American artists living and working throughout the United States. Each artist will have a six month run. Clint Hansen, the first artist to be displayed in this series, lives in Audubon, Iowa. He works for a wide range of commercial and private clients. Among those companies commissioning his art are IBM, The Smithsonian Institute, Disney, Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Kodak, McDonald’s, Focus on the Family, Reader’s Digest, Cracker Barrel, Banana Republic, Zondervan, Heinz, Anheiser Busch, Zebco and the Iowa National Air Guard. Many of the works in this exhibition were developed as commissions. |
| Clint Hansen also created 1995 and 1996 commemorative Olympic coins for the U.S. mint. The two coins, which were issued in 50 cent denominations, are displayed in a case with other pieces of his work. Hansen practices his art in several different mediums, including scratchboard, oils, mosaic and stained glass. He has created a number of paper sculptures as part of his work as an illustrator of children’s books. The artist has generously made some of these three dimensional sculptures available for the current exhibition.
Americans at Work & at Play - A Study of Danish Influences in Everyday Life May 15, 2005 – 2006 This exhibition is an exploration of Danish influences in the American home and workplace. It will highlight items from Denmark which recent immigrants and their families use in their American homes, demonstrating a continuing commitment to their Danish identity. But at its core the exhibition is an exploration of ways in which subsequent generations of Danish Americans deliberately retain ties to Denmark through the use of Danish-made products at home and sometimes at work. These products may range from fine porcelains and glassware to textiles, writing and cutting instruments, lighting fixtures and sound systems, cooking products and toys, to name but a few possibilities. The exhibition is also an examination of the ways that Denmark and its products influence American life in a manner cutting across ethnicities. Nadjeschda Overgaard, National Heritage Fellow, 1998 November 23, 2005 – June 5, 2006 The exhibition offers a wide ranging view of Nadjeschda Overgaard’s work over the span of many years. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings and several different forms of needlework, including Nadjeschda’s hardanger needlework, which won her the designation of Master Artist during the 1998 National Heritage Fellowship awards. Nadjeschda Overgaard (1905-2003), daughter of Carl and Anna Schjødt Lynge, was born in Siberia where her father was helping to establish creameries. The family returned to Denmark in 1910 so Nadjeschda could be educated there. Then in 1916 her family immigrated to the United States, settling in southwest Iowa. Nadjeschda learned the art of hardanger as a young girl from her mother, Anna Lynge. The art was also taught in Danish schools at the time. The exhibition features a couple of her school projects; the majority of the work, however, reflects the achievements of her mature years. Nadjeschda acquired an extensive working knowledge of the various needlework arts. She continued to work in several forms throughout her life. She freely re-imagined traditional patterns and designs. The larger body of her needlework reflects this re-imagining process, resulting in a number of original designs. Nadjeschda was intrigued by flowers. They were a favorite subject for exploration in her paintings and pastels. She was particularly fascinated by the interplay of their colors. The shapes and forms of the various flowers absorbed her attention as well. In her later years, she devoted several works to a study of Iris flowers. Nadjeschda married Niels Overgaard in 1933. Together they raised a family of seven children. The Overgaards were very active in their Kimballton community. In addition to her ongoing projects in needlework, painting and drawing, Nadjeschda directed community plays, taught folk dancing and gave lessons in art. In 1990 Nadjeschda received the Iowa Cultural Heritage Fellowship Award and in 1998 she was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. Hans Hansen - A Study in Danish-American Ingenuity March 15, 2005 - 2006 Hans Hansen immigrated to the United States during the first decade of the 1900s, and worked for the railroad for a time in order to earn the money necessary for purchasing and building his farm near West Branch, Iowa. The house was completed first and the outbuildings followed over the next several years. The farm is still owned and being farmed by Hans’ son Walter and his family. Hans’ brilliant mind for problem solving is the focus of this exhibit. Featured are items from his farm shop lent by the Hansen family. Several handcrafted tools such as an auger and horsehair brushes, as well as a homemade tool chest, are among these on display. A particularly poignant piece is the carpenter’s apron always worn by Hans. Stained forever by the labors of its owner, it has hung in the farm shed where Hans Hansen last placed it before his death. In addition to farm tools, Hans also built and detailed furniture and other household accessories. A few of his candlestick holders are on display. Contemporary Illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairytales 2005 Exhibit April 2, 2005 marked the bicentennial of the birth of Denmark’s beloved fairy-tale writer. This exhibit shows some of the ways that artists have interpreted these familiar stories. Celebrating 100 Years of Danish Christmas Seals 2004 Exhibit Christmas seals are an integral and colorful part of the celebration of Christmas in both the United States and Denmark and are avidly collected on both sides of the Atlantic. This unique exhibit commemorating the centennial of the Danish julemærke, or Christmas seal, features items from both the museum collection and the remarkable personal collection of Conrad Petersen of Minnesota. Danish American Artist Series: Clint Hansen January 19, 2006 – July 5, 2006 The display of Clint Hansen’s art kicks off a new exhibition series at The Danish Immigrant Museum. It is a series that will feature Danish American artists living and working throughout the United States. Each artist will have a six month run. Clint Hansen, the first artist to be displayed in this series, lives in Audubon, Iowa. He works for a wide range of commercial and private clients. Among those companies commissioning his art are IBM, The Smithsonian Institute, Disney, Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Kodak, McDonald’s, Focus on the Family, Reader’s Digest, Cracker Barrel, Banana Republic, Zondervan, Heinz, Anheiser Busch, Zebco and the Iowa National Air Guard. Many of the works in this exhibition were developed as commissions. |
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| The Danish Immigrant Museum exhibits and collections demonstrate Danish influences over a vast period of times and places. They comprise outstanding example of early life and reflect the history of Danish immigrants. Many past exhibits are posted on this site, keeping the memories alive:
Historical Danish Folk Costumes From the National Museum of Denmark 2004 - 2005 A Celebration of Heritage - Danish Folk Costumes in America 2004 Expressions of a Danish-American Identity - Exploring the Creative Work of Lorraine Larsen 2004 Original Paintings by Henri Sorensen 2004 The Photographs of Sisse Brimberg 2003 - 2004 Highlights from the Collections of 2001 - 2003 2003 - 2004 Housing the Dream - Revisiting Beginnings (20th Anniversary) 2003 A Weaving Together of Many Diverse Threads - The Rich Tapestry of Minnesota's Danish Heritage 2003 Creative Transformations - The Salmonsen Melberg Stamp Collection 2003 |
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| The museum featured the work of Elmer Petersen in its Danish-American-Artist Series. The exhibition, which opened in January 2007, marked a first for the museum in that it is the first exhibit focusing exclusively on sculpture.
As a young man, Elmer Petersen undertook his first public sculpture commission in Jamestown, North Dakota, creating what has been billed as the world’s largest buffalo. The buffalo is a cement sculpture 46 feet long and 26 feet high. Petersen constructed it with considerable ingenuity from I-beams, rebar, mesh and blown-on cement in 1959. The buffalo has subsequently become a prominent tourist attraction in the Jamestown area. Petersen went on to explore many different sculptural mediums. For a time he worked with the welding of found objects, creating such ingenious sculptures as the razor back hog from “C” clamp vice grips, a creature at once fascinating and formidable. |
| Welding became crucial to Elmer Petersen’s work as an artist. In his own words:
“It wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties that I took myself seriously (as a sculptor); and that was when I was introduced to welding as a medium of expression… [I acquired] a new understanding of, and respect for the role of materials and processes. … I developed a style [in my sculptural work] which had the look of the materials and processes that I worked with; i.e., sheet metal, a metal nibbler (‘unishears’), a roller to curve the flat sheet metal and an oxy-acetylene welding torch. The look [of my work] was of curved planes, and weld ‘lines’ that seemingly could exist on their own. The welds are a major contributing factor to the formal experience [of my sculpture] …” But Petersen has never remained still in his work. He has continuously experimented with form and subject. He moved on to cast bronze finding that he now prefers working in that medium and that the mold for the casting can be made from almost any material he chooses. Still active at 78, Petersen has given articulation to the various stages through which he has passed as artist and sculptor. The exhibit is unfolded through his own reflections on his work. The monumental sculptures Petersen has done for public spaces are represented through photographs, as are a number of other one-of-a-kind pieces now residing in private collections throughout the country. The sculptures displayed in the exhibit have been chosen from his smaller pieces, all are done in cast bronze. Elmer Petersen is an award winning sculptor and teacher, who has resided in the area of La Crosse, Wisconsin since 1978. During that time, he has been a self-employed sculptor and promoter of "art in public places". In 1999, he was granted the Community Arts Development Award by the Wisconsin Assembly of Local Arts Agencies "in recognition of [his] leadership, creativity and hard work in enriching the lives of the people of La Crosse through public art." The Elmer Petersen exhibit, which will remain open through July 9th, allows you to move through the life of this sculptor as he experiments with different kinds of sculptural mediums, seeking always to find his unique expression in sculptural form. Because the exhibit is unfolded through the artist’s words, it is also a sharing of his journey. |