Two large paintings are packed in a shipping container to be transported 6099 km from Djursland in Denmark to Canada. The paintings are the new altarpieces for the Danish church in Toronto and were painted by the church artist Simon Aaen.

"This is the first time I have to decorate a church outside Denmark's borders. It has been an exciting task with a somewhat different process. The distance is enormous and all the dialogue with the board in Toronto has taken place via Zoom because we have not been able to travel due to Corona," says Simon Aaen. He has worked on the paintings for a year in his studio in Rønde, north of Aarhus.

The paintings will hang on opposite sides of the altar arch in the church in Toronto. 

"I have painted two biblical stories that are closely related, namely Jesus walking on water and the disciples sitting in the boat in the stormy lake. These are two images that speak to the congregation's history and to all people who can experience that life is like a storm," says Simon Aaen.

Many of the first Danish migrants came to Canada by ship after World War II. They are the ones who established a Danish congregation and later built the church. 

Modern church art in deep water

Troels Laursen is a minister, art critic and one of Denmark's leading experts on church art. He has followed Simon Aaen's development over the past years and is enthusiastic that he now is to decorate a church abroad:

"Simon Aaen is one of the young artists who is well on his way to becoming an established name among Danish artists. Despite his young age, he has already decorated several churches and done so with a great insight into the biblical stories and with a good sense of the rectory and the worship ", says Troels Laursen.

"His expression is modern and thus very relevant to those looking at the paintings. They open up to the churchgoer so that they can 'compose' themselves into the work ", says Troels Laursen, who is also enthusiastic about the motif chosen by the congregation in Toronto:

"The two motifs are widespread, especially on the Danish west coast, where people themselves have experiences about the sea. At the same time, it is a mental image that you do not have to be a sailor or fisherman to know, because everyone knows how to be out in existential storms and deep water in life".

The Danish church in Toronto hopes to inaugurate the new church room with art for Easter if Corona allows it. Later in the year, Simon Aaen comes to Toronto to see the paintings in place and meet the congregation face to face.

Simon Aaen presents the new paintings in the short video: 

Read more about the project here - and how you can support it.