KIDS

In the exhibition KIDS, children are everywhere: sweet children, playful children, lonely children, innocent children, and unpredictable children. For centuries, children have been depicted in art – from precious paintings to photographs that have made images of children part of everyday visual culture. Drawing on Kunstmuseum Brandts’ extensive collection of Danish and international art photography, we delve into artistic representations of childhood that reflect both romantic ideals and great complexity.

At the end of the 18th century, Enlightenment philosophers introduced the idea of the “romantic child” – innocent and good in contrast to the adult. The romantic child became a recurring subject in art and still shapes our contemporary ideals of childhood. But art can also present ambiguous, provocative, and even disturbing images of children. Throughout the 20th century, artistic depictions of children have not only affirmed the notion of the free, playful, and innocent child. They have also challenged these ideals, confronting us with the child’s unpredictability, complexity, vitality, and spark.

Curator

Linnea Szilas, Kunstmuseum Brandts

Collection

With over 70 works by Danish and international photographers, as well as numerous historical photographs from the collection of Kunstmuseum Brandts, we open up the world of the child through a range of leading art photographers such as Antanas Sutkus, Dag Alveng, Sally Mann, Fryd Frydendahl, and William Eggleston.