ARKEN is a museum of contemporary art. A museum, because we not only exhibit art but also collect it for our permanent collection to preserve it for future generations, conduct research on it, and communicate it. This is the special responsibility we uphold on behalf of the Danish state so that current and future generations can see what was important to us in our time—meaning today. ARKEN is Denmark’s largest art museum that exclusively collects and exhibits contemporary art created from 1990 onwards.

So, what is contemporary art?Is contemporary art simply art created from the 1990s to today? It is not that simple, so let’s make a short story a bit longer... ARKEN’s collection of contemporary art is defined as it is because the museum opened in 1996. The collection’s age and history go hand in hand with the museum’s history. Naturally, art created three decades ago will not remain contemporary art forever—100 years from now, there will be artworks in the collection that are 130 years old, and by that time, they will likely be described with different terms than ‘contemporary art.’ It is as paradoxical as how ‘modern art’ is no longer modern but now a period in art history.

Contemporary art is art created in the time we live in together. It reflects our own time, critically and curiously examining it, tasting it, chewing it, and spitting it out again in the form of new statements, expressions, and actions. Contemporary art can surprise us. It can massage and irritate our senses. And it can—like a mirror—show us images of ourselves and our reality, prompting us to question, discover, converse, understand each other, and move forward. Contemporary art can push boundaries and open doors to the future.

Museum of Contemporary ArtARKEN is Denmark’s museum of contemporary art. We live and breathe to communicate contemporary art to everyone and to contribute to the development of the cultural heritage that will emerge over time. We explore new frontiers alongside artists to create an inclusive space where ideas can be shared, dialogues can take place, and breakthroughs can be made that advance both art and society. These are grand words. But when you step through the doors of ARKEN, we simply wish you fantastic, immersive, and thought-provoking experiences with contemporary art—everything else will follow naturally.