Featured Events in Copenhagen in February, 2025 (February Updated)

What prompts activists to attack famous works of art in an attempt to spotlight the climate crisis? And why do people knock down statues when power changes hands? In the exhibition Iconoclasm – Art as a Battleground, the Glyptotek tells the story of our tempestuous relationship with art and what compels us to destroy it. For millennia, humans have not only erected statues, but also knocked them down or changed and destroyed them. Because, even though monuments are often made of durable materials such as marble and bronze, the ideologies, people and events they commemorate and preserve are rarely as enduring. Iconoclasm is not only a phenomenon of antiquity – art is still a battleground: one on which power relations and identities are challenged. The word ‘iconoclasm’ comes from the ancient Greek word eikon and a derivation of klaein (to smash or crush) and describes the deliberate destruction of images, monuments or symbols. The Glyptotek’s antiquities collection contains myriad examples of archaeological artifacts that were deliberately destroyed. Some of the destruction was motivated by political power shifts and religious upheavals; some was the result of economic and practical circumstances.

What prompts activists to attack famous works of art in an attempt to spotlight the climate crisis? And why do people knock down statues when power changes hands? In the exhibition Iconoclasm – Art as a Battleground, the Glyptotek tells the story of our tempestuous relationship with art and what compels us to destroy it. For millennia, humans have not only erected statues, but also knocked them down or changed and destroyed them. Because, even though monuments are often made of durable materials such as marble and bronze, the ideologies, people and events they commemorate and preserve are rarely as enduring. Iconoclasm is not only a phenomenon of antiquity – art is still a battleground: one on which power relations and identities are challenged. The word ‘iconoclasm’ comes from the ancient Greek word eikon and a derivation of klaein (to smash or crush) and describes the deliberate destruction of images, monuments or symbols. The Glyptotek’s antiquities collection contains myriad examples of archaeological artifacts that were deliberately destroyed. Some of the destruction was motivated by political power shifts and religious upheavals; some was the result of economic and practical circumstances.

In February, Copenhagen will once again be illuminated by beautiful light installations. From January 31st to February 23rd, the harbour and city spaces, from North Harbour to Ørestag, will be illuminated by beautiful light art and experiences. At the Light Festival, you can experience Copenhagen in a new light and explore tailor-made light works created by Danish and international light artists and designers.

The world's largest gin festival takes place in Copenhagen, with over 450 gins on offer, the Copenhagen Gin Festival is a gin lover's paradise. The festival will feature around 80 different stalls selling gin, home barware and a wide range of tonics. Six different events will take place during the festival.