Why are there so many 7 Eleven outlets in Copenhagen? It feels like there’s one on every corner; almost as if they own the place. I expected to get a t shirt with ‘Copenhagen: brought to you by 7 Eleven’ emblazoned across the front, but couldn’t find one. Someone’s missing a trick.
So, of course, my last morning was full of blue sky and sunshine. It bathed me sarcastically as I waited at Copenhagen central station for my train to Malmö. (Look closely and you’ll see there’s a 7 Eleven on the next platform.)
The trip was uneventful. Even the passport control never happened. At the first stop in Sweden, there was an announcement to get our papers out and ready for inspection. We sat at the station for ages, but no one came. We then left.
I was stopping off in Malmö so I could visit the Moderna Museet, given I’m a card-carrying member in Stockholm. While it’s a lot smaller, the gallery’s current exhibition explores a vastness greater than it’s size.
It was called The Fantastic and Horrific and mostly featured the colourful world of Maria Prymachenko.
She was a Ukrainian artist, born in 1909 in Bolotnya. She lived through some pretty horrific times. WWI, WW2 when Hitler then Stalin held power, the Holodomor, the Cold War and Chernobyl which was only 50 kilometres from her house when it melted back in 1986.
Despite living through such shitty times, Maria brought colourful, joyful imaginations to her work. Fanciful animals in bright colours.
Clearly, she frightened Putin. The Russians destroyed the Ivankiv Museum, Kyiv in 2022, burning around 20 of her original works. In war, people can be replaced, art cannot. We should all know by now what warmongers think of culture.
Her works were not the only ones in the exhibition. There were also a few pieces by Picasso. During the Paris World’s Fair of 1937, upon discovering Prymachenko’s work, Picasso said: “I bow down before the artistic miracle of this brilliant Ukrainian.“
This exhibition highlighted his great, anti-war masterpiece, Guernica. It could have been destroyed as well, except that Picasso believed it belonged to the Spanish people rather than the state, and said the painting could not be returned to Spain until the fascists were gone.
For 40 years, Guernica spent most of its time in New York. It finally returned to Spain in 1973 after Picasso died. It now hangs in the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid. I guess that means another trip to the Spanish capital for me.
There were also a couple of delightful etchings by Marc Chagall, and the personal monsters of Niki de Saint Phalle, an artist I keep running into.
Having supped sufficiently on art, I headed down to the café to sup on a couple of delightful dishes.
The lunch menu included a smoked salmon with shaved celeriac or pork belly on spinach, both on rye. I was struggling to decide which was better when the woman behind the counter suggested a third option. I could have small versions of both. Obviously, I did.
Both were delicious. Both gave me ideas for entrées at Chez Gaz.
On the way back to the station, I popped into St Peter’s church. A very tall and imposing structure which shares a strange link with the Iconoclasm exhibition I saw yesterday in that it avoided the big one during the reformation.
Unbelievably, it was open.
It’s the oldest brick building in Malmö, built between 1300 and 1380, and is not as imposing inside as you’d think. All in white, it feels welcoming, bright and warm.
I had a good wander around, admiring the various, ornate sculptures but, most of all, loved the painted ceiling and walls in one chapel.
I particularly wondered about this bit:
I mean, what’s going on there?
Of course, it was soon time to head back to the station and onto my train to Stockholm.
The ride was pretty uneventful, though I did make a friend, given I had a seat in the animal carriage. And, in an extraordinary coincidence, his name was Louis.
Mirinda reckons I should carry dog treats around with me. I think that’s a grand idea. Mind you, they keep coming to say hello without any reward.
All up, I had a great time in Copenhagen.
Looking back at my short visit, I have to say that the CPH card was brilliant. Anyone going to Copenhagen would be well advised to get one. The thing is, it doesn’t just get you into sights, it also gets you on public transport all over the city. Perfect.
It served me well and I would definitely get it again. Next time.
