It is with great pleasure we’re now ready to present a constellation of two truly significant international urban artists who, for the very first time, have created a duo exhibition based on a shared theme expressed through two distinctly different artistic styles.
In a wholly distinctive visual language, recognised worldwide on streets, backyards, in galleries and museums, Hera of Herakut, as one of the two, works within an imagined universe. The characters in her works are often experienced in contexts shaped by social divisions and collective limitations, embedded in quotes that speak of love and human relationships. The degree of contrast is endless, as a childlike dreamworld is often infused with traits borrowed from animals.
Through a narrative visual language, the works are shaped by a highly characteristic line, where Hera’s sensual yet raw expression forms the framework for shape and proportion.
At the same time, Case Maclaim as one of the leading urban photorealists, brings a completely different angle to the exhibition, often with a strong undertone of surrealism. Like Hera, he works both on canvas and on large-scale murals, where the emotional realm is constantly explored: insecurity, melancholy, and the ongoing struggle of being human are recurring themes. His figurative motifs impress with their technical perfection and their remarkable balance between visual clarity and strong narrative depth.
WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND
About the exhibition “What We Leave Behind,” Case Maclaim explains:
“What we leave behind’ handler om de ting, der er tilbage, når øjeblikke forsvinder i familier, i byer og i mure.
Hera og jeg er vokset side om side i årevis som kunstnere, som familie og som vidner til hinandens udvikling. Det, vi deler, er lagdelt, påvirkninger, diskussioner, tavsheder og referencer, der langsomt opbygges over tid. Udstillingen udfolder sig som et personligt arkiv over denne fælles fortid.
Mine værker tager udgangspunkt i gavlmalerier og i billeder, der allerede eksisterer i det offentlige rum udsat for vejr, tid og mennesker. De bærer historien i deres overflade.
Inde i galleriet vender disse billeder tilbage i forandret form. Fjernet fra gaden bliver de mere stille, mere intime og næsten sårbare. For det, vi efterlader, er aldrig blot et billede. Det er et fragment af den, vi var.”
Hera continues:
“When I began claiming a slice of public space for my spray-painted thoughts 26 years ago, I never expected our small subculture to step out of its underground shadow and take us into the spotlight and onto the platforms of massive boom lifts to paint gigantic murals in some of the world’s busiest cities.
In this way, we left countless large-scale marks across the globe, and today I have realised that this form of expression is just as accessible and essential on canvas as it is on walls.
At the same time, it takes a physical and mental toll to constantly be on the move in high lifts, which is why it has been a privilege for me to express myself on canvas as well. Whether you express yourself on canvas, a wall, a postcard, or a post-it, what matters is that it resonates, with the hope of planting seeds that may grow and sprout.”
