2730 May 2021
2730 May 2021

Performance

Emil Jensen – Grädde på moset

Emil Jensen – Photo Daniel Engvall

The icing on the cake

Emil Jensen is an artist, songwriter and poet. He has released seven albums and his "Summer Talk in P1" is among the most acclaimed ever. Emil's live performances are like summer talks on stage, where his song treasure is interspersed with personal small talk, comedy and seriousness, in a completely own mix.

Over the years, Emil has been awarded for his word art and music, but also for the commitment that runs through his lyrics and artistry and does not leave anyone untouched, most recently he received the Karl Gerhard Prize 2020. 

 

"I remember when we learned about Maslow's hierarchy of needs in high school. At the bottom you find the basic needs: sleep and food. The next level has social safety. At the top was self-actualization which was often portrayed by a lone person playing the violin. It's a good portrayal of how we view the arts. It's something we can only entertain when all our other needs have been met when everything else has been taken care of which never happens. 

Not many people know that everyone's right to culture is in the UN's Declaration of Human Rights. Arts and culture is both at the top and the bottom and in the middle of the hierarchy of needs. It is essential. Consider the songs that slaves sang during the most horrible circumstances. I doubt all of their other needs had been met. Quite the opposite it is the arts that keeps us all afloat. Storytelling, listening to music, reading... All of this is essential for our survival,

just like food and sleep. 

Arts and culture isn't the icing on the cake. It's the cake itself, as well as the icing, at the same time!"

Participants