Åen, Kalvebodstrand 1895

Axel Holm created this print, Åen, Kalvebodstrand, using etching, a printmaking technique that allows for fine lines and detailed textures. The artwork captures a landscape that might seem unremarkable at first glance, but it is situated in a time of significant shifts in Danish society. Towards the end of the 19th century, the burgeoning industrialization and urbanization were reshaping the nation’s identity. Artists like Holm often turned to the countryside, perhaps as a form of cultural preservation, or even protest. The scene is devoid of human presence; it invites us to contemplate our relationship with the land. It's impossible not to think of the labor and lives intertwined with this landscape – the farmers, the rural communities – whose stories are often unseen, yet deeply rooted in the soil. It offers a quiet, reflective space amidst the noise of progress. What does it mean to turn our attention to the land? Who are we, when we are in relation to nature?