InstantHERLEV institute (IHi) is an exhibition-making organization for site-specific projects coordinated by artist and curator Anja Franke. InstantHERLEV institute has its base in Anja Franke’s ordinary single-family suburban home, which is located in the kommune (municipality) of Herlev; and forming part of the greater Copenhagen area.
IHi was conceived as an artist-run and open exhibition space to develop site-specific and intervention art projects. Often related to land use interpretation, this small organization has been presenting artists from around the world to produce installations in its property and around Herlev, since its inception in 2004.
To this end, the private and public space divide is embraced during its regular program of exhibitions, where Anja Franke’s home and property regularly become part of a temporary and welcoming public space that she offers, in order to help enact conversation-changing dialogue and new forms of exchanging art between citizens, artists, and visitors.
The initial idea was to use the local municipality of Herlev as a microcosm of the larger global picture. However, and since, InstantHERLEV institute has become a mobile concept, and at times, operating in different contexts. Even if this means changing or moving to other arenas enabled by other people’s initiatives that enact similar strategies for art or to further other artist-run environs.