hmmm…Denmark?! – Baltic & Nordic Sea, fishing cutters, smoked or pickled herring, smørrebød, monarchy, green landscape, cold Nordic wind…

The smallest Scandinavian country has more to offer…

Copenhagen the new Sweden!? – if it’s just a provocation made by Denmark supporters or the truth –  My enquiry about the Danish capital convinced me to write an article about its art and culture scene.

Copenhagen producing young innovative fashion designers is definitive able to compete with Sweden’s fashion metropolis Stockholm. The Danish capital has grown to a stylish, shrilly vivid city.The Danish fashion style – old individual vintage finds mixed with rustic boots and lumberjack shirts and a light resemblance to Nordic seafarer images. www.copenhagenstreetstyle.dk

C[Open]hagen is known for its liberality. The offbeat style of the city comes to light walking through the in-quarter ‘Vesterbrø’. A city which transformed the former working class quarter and red-light district ‘Vesterbrø’ into one of the hippest places in the city, is ready to be put on the list of the most innovative artistic cities. But not everything has changed, the old butcher-quarter kept his old charm! There are still Sex-shops on the way to the “new” Vesterbrø where the creative scene of Copenhagen is meeting up – proprietors of a gallery, artist, photographer, designer, fashion-addicts and their followers.

In this area the artist Jeppe Hein has opened his individual bar “Karriere” – between prostitutes and junkies! The special neighborhood and the often surprising interior design made by closed friends attract the young artist. I like the contrast between the totally designed interior and the rustic wooden benches outside, which add an unconventional touch. But if you just need a shot of caffeine take a break in ‘ Verdens mindst Kaffebar’, ‘The World’s Smallest Coffee Bar’ with space for only two people inside.

If you want to experience the delicious taste of Denmark you have to order a typical Danish breakfast! Almost every Danish restaurant serve the traditional ‘open faced sandwich” ( with different portions of foot) called “smørrebød” which is presented with cold Danish beer and snaps.  Yes, it is true the Danes love pork meat, weather the “Frikadelle” or the “Rød Pølse” (red sausage) sold in the “Pølsevogn” wich is still the Danes favorite Outdoor restaurant.

This street art photo was taken in Copenhagen’s quarter Nørrebro which is famous for economical second-hand “shopping-sessions”! The “non-sitable“ bench is a perfect evidence for the young creative movement of Denmark!

The graphic design of Karina Petersen is based on the experimentation with three dimensional typefaces. It depends on the angle of the viewer if the objects will either recognizable as typeface or appear as abstract forms.

Henrik Vibskov is the first Danish fashion designer who comes into my mind thinking about typical Danish fashion. His streetwear collection for man is known for interesting cuts, banging color-combinations, spaciously forms and remarkable prints! Fashion addicts, keen to experiments and with a preference for way-out fashion will love it! Hendrik Vibskov graduate from Central St.Martins College of Art has diverse talents. His work on his fashion collections are influenced by his work as musician (drums) for the band of Anders Trentemøller. It’s impressive how he switches from art project and his avant-garde design to his passion for music. Moreover he is currently the only Scandinavian designer on the official show schedule of the Paris Men’s Fashion Week!

The name “Wood Wood” fits perfectly to the style of the Danish street fashion label. The clean portable Scandinavian look such as the “good-old” rustic lumberjack shirt, which is part of each colection characterized the “WOODWOOD-style”. The stores weather they are placed in Copenhagen, Berlin or Stockholm are structured as if to say: “You need a piece of all”. Different fashion labels resembling to the “Wood Wood-attitude such as all kinds of accessories ( shoes, bags, jewelry, lip stic, purses)

VETO – one of Danmark’s numerous up-and-coming music bands! – The sound is an energetic and surprising mix of rock structures with strong guitar riffs and emotional lyrics which are interrupted by 80’s New Wave sound  and  minimalistic electronic elements! With her debut album “There is a beat in all machines” supported by the Danish Hip Hop label “TABU” came the well-deserved success!  The electronic rockers ”Veto” won two awards at the MTV Danish Music Awards 2009. www.myspace.com/vetoside

Do you want to experience Copenhagen’s music and street culture scene? – The DISTORTION festival is the place to be! Found in 1998, it became a 5-day mobile street and nightlife festival celebrating Copenhagen’s rising clublife, and offering the possibility to young street artists to show off their creative work. ( june 3-7) – A perfect platform for the art project “Ultra Grøn” and his nature-driven installations.

Friday, 5 June 2009, Vesterbrø- Copenhagen

Its deffenetly worth it to have a look on the webside http://www.cphdistortion.dk/ to feel the Distortion atmosphere!!

“Ultra Grøn”

Fascinated by the Nordic feeling? -  Come to Denmark to grab the creative air!!!

Lena Voutta