CHART Talks

As part of the CHART 2025 Talks Programme, we were delighted to present a conversation between Danish artist Esben Weile Kjær and Mariam Elnozahy, curator, researcher, writer, and Artistic Director at Konsthall C, Stockholm. They explored Weile Kjær’s artistic practice, which thrives on contrasts—between materials, spaces, and the expectations we bring to them. From crafting bronze sculptures that mimic plastic (and vice versa) to investigating the social dynamics of clubbing, they discussed his use of materials as a form of performativity to examine different phenomena.

Weile Kjær reflected on his work with materials "in drag,” challenging notions of truth and intention while creating atmospheric spaces by combining music with other materials in performative ways. They also explored how he disrupts architectural norms and uses text, image, music, and sculpture as tools in his expansive, cross-disciplinary practice.

Click here to access the presentation discussed during the conversation.

As part of the Talks Programme at CHART 2025, we were delighted to present a conversation between Danish artist Emily Gernild and Marie Laurberg, Artistic Director and CEO at Copenhagen Contemporary in Denmark and Founder of the support program for artists, CC Commissions, and the Beckett-Prize.

Drawing on Gernild’s reflections, the conversation traces her path to becoming a painter: from early detours through theology to discovering a practice rooted in everyday objects, colour, and form. She discusses challenging the perception of painting, especially floral motifs, as something simple or feminine, and speaks to her belief in the deep exchange between material and spirit. Laurberg and Gernild explore the shift from canvas to linen, the quiet rituals of the studio, and the symbolic presence of lemons throughout her work, while also questioning whether today’s visual culture has become too banal in the imagery we consume.

At CHART 2025, we were pleased to present a panel discussion exploring the role of art in public spaces, focusing on the creation and commissioning process of public art. The panel consists of Danish artist Pernille With Madsen, Michael Thouber, Director of the New Carlsberg Foundation and former Director of Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Diana Velasco, Art Consultant at Kunst på Arbejde and served for five years as Program Lead for the Art in Metro initiative at Metroselskabet (supported by Statens Kunstfond, Det Obelske Familiefond and Villum Fonden), moderated by Milena Høgsberg, former Director and Chief Curator of Wanås Konst.

The conversation examined the practicalities of applying for public art funding, the balance between aesthetics and functionality, and the complex logistics of working with contractors, sub-contractors, and multiple stakeholders. The panellists reflected on the power of public commissions—how they can embody state representation, shape collective identity, and evolve in meaning over time. Through examples such as The Little Mermaid, Poul Gernes’ decoration of Ordrup Gymnasium, Bruce Nauman’s Square Depression, and Svend Wiig Hansen’s Oceania, they discussed how involving users in the creative process fosters a sense of ownership assuring preservation from future generations. 

Click here to access the presentation discussed during the conversation.

At CHART 2025, we were delighted to present a conversation between Danish artist Frederik Næblerød and Marie Nipper, Director of ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Ishøj, Denmark. At the time, Næblerød’s works were the focus of a major solo exhibition at the museum, during which his studio was temporarily relocated to the institution.

Together they discuss Næblerød's major solo exhibition at the museum 'All Walks of Life' and explore his work across diverse media including painting, drawing, ceramics and bronze sculpture. Tracing his practice from a background in graffiti, through his time at art school up to his most recent body of work, the talk considers how Næblerød uses an experimental approach to create vibrant energetic compositions that still feel true to life. Næblerød also reflected on his intuitive artistic approach, drawing not from theory or art history but from everyday encounters, like the faces and colours from a simple trip to the supermarket.

Click here to access the presentation discussed during the conversation.

In this episode Anders Herwald Ruhwald and Stephanie Cristello discuss the interplay between form and content in Ruhwald's latest book project Mineral Skin, which features documentation of Ruhwald's practice alongside accompanying text by Cristello.

Together the pair reflect on their collaboration, and the way in which Mineral Skin conforms to and breaks with the conventions of traditional book making. The conversation then broadens into a wider discussion of the role of language in Ruhwald's work and the different ways in which art, materiality and form can intersect in contemporary practice.

Anders Herwald Ruhwald is a Danish-American artist based between Chicago and Detroit. His work is held in the permanent collections of The Art Institute of Chicago, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Victoria & Albert Museum and Musee des Arts decoratifs, among others. Stephanie Cristello, is a contemporary art critic, curator, and author based in Chicago.

In this episode, we dive into the dynamic collaboration of the project "We Are All Hybrids", with artist duo Rhoda Ting & Mikkel Bojesen and Luke Holman from the Globe Institute.

Blending art, science, and technology, this project delves into speculative futures, asking how art can guide us towards an affirmative shift beyond the Anthropocene. Inspired by animals and species from Holman’s research in Skagerrak and the Little Belt in Denmark, as well as Icelandic waters, the sculptures bring to life the shared DNA across species, exploring marine environments and the ongoing evolution of life forms.

Moderated by Kasper Opstrup, PhD, from the University of Copenhagen, who specialises in intersections of art, literature, and radical countercultures, the discussion reveals how this unique collaboration was born and how it reimagines our relationship with the natural world.

Click here to access the presentation to view the discussed artworks.

In this episode, we dive into the collaboration between artists Johannes Sivertsen and Modou Dieng Yacine, who creatively explore themes of territory, identity, and belonging.

Through painting and photography, Sivertsen and Dieng Yacine examine the lasting impacts of colonial history and the sense of being "in-between" that shapes their identities. They reflect on how representation (or lack thereof) in their homelands affects what—and who—is remembered. Sivertsen points to the gaps left by an incomplete history, while Yacine explores how our understanding of architecture changes in light of the legacy of colonialism. Central to their project is the figure of Louis Faidherbe—a French governor behind brutal military campaigns in West Africa–whose legacy is historicised in Paris, where the pair met, as well as in Saint-Louis, Senegal, where Dieng Yacine grew up. 

Joined by Marie-Ann Yemsi, independent curator and board member at Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the conversation uncovers the unique origins of this collaboration, how they shaped it together, and the fresh perspectives it brings to identity and history. The conversation invites us to reflect on how we learn about the world and the way we understand the connections between different cities.

Click here to access the presentation to view the discussed artworks.

In this episode, we explore the textured and layered world of artist Pia Ferm, who exhibited a solo booth with Saskia Neuman Gallery at CHART 2024. Known for her work with fiber, textile, and stone, Ferm draws from landscapes to blend figuration and abstraction, crafting each piece through weaving, tufting, and carving—sometimes building her own looms.

Joining her is contemporary art critic and curator Stephanie Cristello, who brings insight into Ferm’s exploration of material, form, and the concept of time. Their conversation examines how fiber and stone communicate in relief, the visible marks of creation, and how the body’s movements are both present and elusive in each work.

Click here to access the presentation to view the discussed artworks.

In this episode, join us for a conversation with the Jury for CHART Architecture 2024 and a member of the winning team behind Breeze Pavilion, as they share insights into the unique approach and values shaping New Nordic Architecture.

The panel features Jonas Sarantaris from the Breeze Pavilion team, Søren Pihlmann, Founder of pihlmann architects, and Jakob Brandtberg Knudsen, Dean of Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy and is moderated by Tyra Dokkedahl, architect, journalist and founder of Seriously Fun.

Together, they discuss what makes Nordic architecture distinct, delving into the essential principles of sustainability, integration with surroundings, functionality, cultural context, human-centered design, and innovation. Sarantaris introduces the Breeze Pavilion team’s creative process, from material choices to construction methods, and how they embraced a Danish perspective in crafting this year’s pavilion.

Click here to view the presentation discussed in the talk.

In this episode we feature an artist talk with Trine Søndergaard, a photography-based visual artist, and Saara Hacklin, Chief Curator of Contemporary Art Museum KIASMA in Finland – recorded live during CHART 2024.

The conversation starts with Søndegaard's first experiences with a camera at primary school and goes on to cover her early experiences as an artist working with painting and drawing, and her eventual move to integrate photography into her artistic practice.

The discussion goes on to focus on the artist's experience working with museum collections, the balance between "dead traditions" and "everyday life", and the ways in which cultural artefacts can help us gain new perspectives on contemporary social issues.

Click here to view the presentation to view the discussed artworks.