Members of the Phillips family pose in our handmade “photo booth” at the 2012 Holiday Party, December 11. Clockwise from top left: Jennifer Soucy (director’s office); Hannah Wellman and Alexandrea Putman (museum assistants); Kym Hall (human resources) with her son and Lydia O’Connor (finance department); Amy Wike, Cecilia Wichmann, Vivian Djen, and Michelle Herman (communications department).
Photos: Joshua Navarro
Last week’s Phillips after 5 –a Winter Fairy Tale inspired by Per Kirkeby‘s native Denmark–truly had what the Danes call “HYGGE.” Guests sipped aquavit, listened to jazz piano by Søren Møller and saxophone by Dick Oatts, and most of all enjoyed time with each other and with art. Ambassador Peter Taksøe-Jensen even came by with his spouse Gitte Wallin Pedersen to soak up the atmosphere. Next month, the Embassy of Denmark will be back for another Kirkeby-inspired evening, this time an “Arctic Expedition.”
Holiday decorations at the Royal Danish Embassy celebrate Per Kirkeby and other Danish artists and creatives. Photos: Brooke Rosenblatt; Photo collage: Amy Wike
In Denmark, gathering with friends to celebrate the season is very important. There’s a special word for it–HYGGE (\ hoo • gah \ – is it just us or does the word sound a little bit like a hug?). Today, you can gather Danish-style at the Royal Danish Embassy’s Creative Christmas open house from 3 to 5 pm (no tickets required), where you will catch glimpses of Per Kirkeby throughout the decorations. Then continue the festivities at Phillips after 5: Winter Fairy Tale from 5 to 8:30 pm (for this, you will need to make a reservation). We’ll offer smørrebrød tastings by Embassy Executive Chef Lars Beese, screenings of The Fir Tree, gallery talks in the Kirkeby exhibition, and music by New York-based Danish jazz pianist Søren Møller with American saxophonist Dick Oatts. To gather with friends the way we will this evening is very Danish. With you, we’ll truly have HYGGE.
