Simone Aaberg Kaern

Conversation between Simone Aaberg Kaern and Tommy Stockel.

The works by Simone Aaberg revolve around women in flight. She confronts the viewer with the social, historical and political dimensions of aviation from various angles. Explosive topics, like the daily life of female fighter pilots in Turkey, or of female helicopter pilots in Afghanistan, also give leeway to poetic moments: A recurring theme in Aaberg’s work is human’s old dream of flying and the freedom high up in the air. With her keen eyes, the artist arouses the spectator’s curiosity for new approaches in flying and thus simultaneously works on gender-specific issues.

Works on paper

Simone Aaberg Kærn landed in Kabul airport in December last year. She flew there herself in her 40 year old Piper Colt.

Simone Aaberg Kærn’s painted portraits of female fighter pilots from Second World War was shown at and acquired by Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk. Sisters in the Sky is an impressive aesthetic and intellectual peephole of how women at that time could realize their dream of flying in a time of hardship. In the painting and sound installation, Simone Aaberg Kærn narrated their stories with a poetic, political and feministic gesture and introduced the notion of aero feminism – an aero feministic sisterhood across cultures and generations…