COPENHAGEN.- The "Wilhelm Freddie" exhibition marks the centenary of the birth of the artist. With approx. 130 works, it is the first of its kind to show all sides of Freddie’s life work: paintings, collages and sculptures. It also includes lesser known aspects of the production of this controversial and wide-ranging artist, such as his films, ballets, haute couture, window dressing, happenings, as well as reproductions of lost works.

Wilhelm Freddie (1909-1995) is an extraordinary one-of-a-kind in Danish art. In constant opposition to the etiquette of the time, he was an artist who found inspiration in the latest trends of the international art scene. As a result, he quickly became a leading figure at exhibitions of Surrealist art in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.

The exhibition presents a new picture of this enfant terrible, notorious for his self-promotion, who focused on experimentation throughout his active life. He was an artist whose departure point was Surrealism, and who sought out new and entirely personal paths; his unique way of grappling with central aspects of human existence are still refreshing and disrespectful.

The exhibition is based on the long-standing research of Senior Research Curator Dorthe Aagesen and will be shown first at Statens Museum for Kunst, and thereafter at Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum from June 19, 2009.