Nathan Coley: The Same For Everyone

WORLD PREMIERE
An Aarhus 2017 Commission and Part of Coast to Coast
Supported by the foundation Ny Carlsbergsfondet

Acclaimed Scottish artist, Nathan Coley, has devised a series of illuminated text works. These ‘fairy light attractions’ will link the entire region, spreading from the west to east coasts at a number of key locations selected for their specific context and meaning. 

The artwork's ten installations will be mounted on scaffolding and consist of the kind of small, flashing crystal lights we know from the theme parks. The title, THE SAME FOR EVERYONE, brings our attention to one of the most treasured of Danish values, namely 'equality for all', and in fact the idea for the title, text and theme of the work was inspired by one of Nathan Coley's trips to Central Jutland, where he visited 'Friland' and saw an old sign reading 'Same for all'.

"The sentence, the words in themselves are not the focus of the work, and the sites will of course always be there. It is in the space where the words and their surroundings meet that magic happens."

Also read: International art lights up the region towards 2017

The text works are temporary proposals, introduced into the landscape or cityscape to create an image. They take ownership of a space or place, without the viewer ever knowing the author. Erected on scaffolds and utilising the twinkling crystal lights common to amusements and other community attractions, Coley’s signs are seductive and sublime, whilst they retain a certain aspect of shysterism. The fairground lamps have an association with theatre, the circus, and temporary celebration and set up a relationship between a slightly seedy, garish aesthetic and the poetic, profound and pithy texts they support.

The 10 works are placed here:
Syddjurs: Friland (Ravnen 2, Feldballe), Viborg: sØnæs (Gl. Århusvej 57, Viborg), Skive: Fiskerhuse (Fjordvej 82a, Skive), Struer: The stairs at City Hall (Østergade 11, Struer), Lemvig: Thyborøn Church (Thyborøn Vesterhavsgade 125 A), Ringkøbing: Hvide Sande Harbour (Sportsfisker Centeret, Nordhavnskaj, Hvide Sande), Herning Højskole (Højskolevej 11, Birk), Silkeborg: Lunden (Vestergade 74), Randers: Memphis Mansion (Graceland Randers Vej 3), Aarhus: City Hall (Rådhusparken, Park Alle 2).

THE SAME FOR EVERYONE is part of Coast to Coast.

DATE
All year

VENUE
Various municipalities across the region

AUDIENCE
Everyone