Modified Social Benches for Lemvig consists of three benches created by artist Jeppe Hein especially for Lemvig Harbour. The benches are made in stainless steel with an orange-red powder coating. Jeppe Hein chose the colour as a reference to maritime elements such as crabs, sea animals, broom buoys and fishing net buoys.
‘My intention is to tie the different parts of the harbour together by integrating the three benches with everyday activities in the area. The benches invite you to engage with and experience the place,’ says Jeppe Hein.
Social interactions
The interaction that unfolds between the artworks and the public space has been a core element in Jeppe Hein’s work with the benches, which invite locals and visitors to interact with art.
‘With this decorative project by Jeppe Hein, we welcome a new type of art in the public realm that encourages participation and experiencing. His sculptural benches unfold red octopus tentacles that weave above and below the surface – inviting us to similarly engage with the space around us,’ says Stine Høholt, member of the board for the New Carlsberg Foundation. She continues,
‘These works of art are an open gesture; a meeting place that only really comes into its own when people use it. Created by one of Denmark’s most prominent artists, these are not sculptures that we are supposed to admire passively, at a respectful distance: these works of art engage us. With them, we can experience the world anew.’
Lemvig in esteemed company
In the city of Lemvig there is excitement about the donation from the New Carlsberg Foundation and Jeppe Hein’s work of art, which has previously been installed in different versions in cities around the world, including New York, London and Paris.
‘Jeppe Hein’s social benches are known around the world and are installed in many major cities. With this new work of art on the harbour front, Lemvig has joined the company of some of the world’s leading cities. I hope – and am convinced – that the benches will be welcomed by locals, tourists and visitors to Lemvig as they have been around the world,’ says Erik Flyvholm, the mayor of Lemvig. He adds,
‘I also wish to express our gratitude to the New Carlsberg Foundation, whose donation made it possible to bring this outstanding work of art to Lemvig, and to Jeppe Hein for creating such an exciting work of art for our citizens to enjoy.’
Jeppe Hein’s benches are also installed by Den Blå Planet, National Aquarium Denmark, in Copenhagen. His Blue Modified Social Benches, which were installed in 2015 thanks to a donation from the New Carlsberg Foundation, consists of thirteen blue benches that guide visitors from the nearby Kastrup metro station to Den Blå Planet. Read more about that installation here.
