Vienna Secession

Sofie Thorsen, Henrik Plenge Jakobsen and Vanessa Joan Müller in conversation.

On the occasion of the exhibition Vienna–Copenhagen. Den Frie Udstilling 2026 at the artists’ association Den Frie in Copenhagen, the co-organisers Sofie Thorsen and Henrik Plenge Jakobsen talk with the art historian and curator Vanessa Joan Müller about, among other things, the model of the artists’ association, its historical roots, and the collaborative work and lively exchange leading up to the current exhibition.

For the exhibition, the artists’ association Den Frie Udstilling invited their colleagues from the sister institution, Vienna Secession, to participate as guest exhibitors. 45 artists from Den Frie Udstilling present their work in dialogue with 125 Austrian artist colleagues from Vienna Secession. Like Den Frie, the Secession was founded in the 1890s, and the two institutions remain among the few exhibition venues in Europe still owned and run by artists. As is the case of Den Frie Udstilling, Vienna Secession also counts some of the country’s most prominent artists among its members.

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Photo Sofie Thorsen: Hannes Böck
Photo Henrik Plenge Jakobsen: Anders Sune Berg