VÆR MED TIL AT SIKRE I AM QUEEN MARYS FREMTID

Siden 31. marts 2018 har en syv meter høj statue af oprørslederen Mary Thomas spejdet ud over Københavns Havn foran Vestindisk Pakhus, der huser Den Kgl. Afstøbningssamling. Med monumentet I Am Queen Mary trådte historien om Danmark som kolonimagt ud af glemslen og ind i den kollektive, danske bevidsthed, men i december forsvandt hun igen, da et stormvejr blev for voldsomt. Jeannette Ehlers og La Vaughn Belle arbejder nu på at få opført monumentet i bronze – og de har brug for din hjælp.

Sidste fredag, d. 27. august, var en særlig dag. Ikke alene åbnede den stort anlagte gruppeudstillingen Efter Stilheden på Statens Museum for Kunst – de to kunstnere kunne omsider også lancere deres crowdfunding kampagne, der udover en allerede permanent tilladelse fra staten samt den første million, skal være med til at sikre I Am Queen Marys fremtid.

Efter Stilheden præsenterer en række kvindelige kunstnere, der gennem de seneste 100 år har brugt deres praksisser til at skabe samfundsmæssige forandringer. Jeannette Ehlers og La Vaughn Belle bidrager til udstillingen med værket I Am Queen Mary (Work in Progress), der består af et råt metalstillads, hvorpå der hænger et seks meter højt foto af monumentet, samt en række skærme der viser forskellige videoværker som afspejler de to kunstneres praksisser. Til udstillingen har vi desuden i samarbejde med Jeannette og La Vaughn produceret en film, der følger tilblivelsen af monumentet. Filmen kan lige nu ses som en del af værket på SMK, men vil også blive mulig at se online inden længe. Stay tuned.

Fra åbningen af Efter Stilheden på Statens Museum for Kunst. Foto © I DO ART Agency.

Jeannette Ehlers & La Vaughn Belle, I Am Queen Mary (Work in Progress). Foto © I DO ART Agency.

Jeannette Ehlers & La Vaughn Belle, I Am Queen Mary (Work in Progress). Foto © I DO ART Agency.

For at få støbt I Am Queen Mary i bronze og opstille de to monumenter på hver deres side af Atlanterhavet – ét i København og ét på St. Croix – skal Jeannette og La Vaughn rejse omkring 9,5 millioner danske kroner. Den danske stat har som nævnt lovet den første million, men der er stadig lang vej endnu. Som et led i processen med at rejse midlerne, har kunstnerne netop lanceret en crowdfunding kampagne, hvor alle kan bidrage til at sikre I Am Queen Marys fremtid. Ifm. kampagnen har kunstnerne som noget helt særligt indgået et samarbejde med All Power To The People Project om en kollektion med t-shirts, en hoodie og en mulepose. Bag All Power To The People Project står Frederika Newton, som er Black Panther stifteren Huey P. Newtons enke samt designer Rachel Konte. Kollektionen er udelukkende tilgængelig gennem kampagnen, så hvis du vil have fingrene i en I Am Queen Mary t-shirt, mulepose, et signeret tryk eller blot støtte projektet, så klik her. Kampagnen løber til og med d. 1. oktober, 2021.

I forbindelse med åbningen på Efter Stilheden afholdte Jeannette Ehlers og La Vaughn Belle en artist talk, som du kan se eller gense her:

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IN ENGLISH:

Since the 31st of March 2018, a seven meter tall statue of the rebel leader Mary Thomas has scouted the Port of Copenhagen in front of the West Indian Warehouse, which today houses The Royal Cast Collection. With the monument I Am Queen Mary, the story of Denmark as a colonial power stepped out of oblivion and into the collective, Danish consciousness, but in December 2020 she disappeared again when a storm hit. Jeannette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle are now working on having the monument cast in bronze – and for that they need your help.

Last Friday, August 27, was a special day. Not only did the group exhibition After the Silence open at the National Gallery of Denmark – the two artists were finally able to launch their crowdfunding campaign, which will hopefully help secure I Am Queen Mary's future. The Danish state has already granted the statue permanence and the first 1 million DKK ($160.000).

After the Silence presents a number of female artists who over the past 100 years have used their practices to create societal change. Jeannette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle contribute to the exhibition with their new work I Am Queen Mary (Work in Progress), which consists of a raw metal scaffolding on which a six meter tall photo of the monument hangs, as well as a series of screens showing various video works reflecting the two artist’s practices and how they intersect in the public art project.

For the exhibition, we have also, in collaboration with Jeannette and La Vaughn, produced a film that follows the creation of the monument. At the moment the film can be viewed as part of the work at the National Gallery of Denmark, but will also be possible to watch online soon. Stay tuned.

To have I Am Queen Mary cast in bronze and erect the two monuments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean – one in Copenhagen and one on St. Croix – Jeannette and La Vaughn will have to raise around 9,5 million DKK ($1,5 million). As mentioned, the Danish state has promised the first million, but there is still a long way to go. As part of the process of raising funds, the artists have just launched a crowdfunding campaign where everyone can help secure I Am Queen Mary's future. In connection to the campaign, the artists have entered into a special collaboration with the All Power To The People Project on creating a collection of t-shirts, a hoodie and a tote bag. All Power To The People Project is founded by Frederika Newton, who is the widow of the Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton and designer Rachel Konte. The collection is exclusively available through the campaign, so if you want an I Am Queen Mary t-shirt, tote bag, a signed print or just support the project, click here. The campaign runs through October the 1st, 2021.

In connection with the opening of After the Silence, Jeannette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle held an artist talk, which you can see or rewatch above. 

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