V1 Gallery

V1 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, in Vesterbro. Since opening in 2002, it has grown from roots in street art to a programme spanning painting, sculpture, photography, installations and video. Exhibitions bring together emerging and established artists from Denmark and abroad, with work that can question familiar ideas about art and society. Take time to look around the basement as well as the main gallery; the space is compact, so the works on view can change the feel of each visit.

A gallery shaped by street art

V1 Gallery opened in Copenhagen in 2002, with early ties to street art and graffiti. That starting point remains part of its identity, even as its programme has expanded across contemporary art forms. The gallery has worked with local graffiti artists including HuskMitNavn, whose practice developed to include canvases and drawings on paper.

The programme includes both emerging and established artists, from Denmark and abroad. Past exhibitions have included international artists such as Barry McGee and Futura alongside Danish artists. The selection changes, so the works on view depend on the current exhibition.

Different media, changing exhibitions

Painting and sculpture sit alongside photography, video and installation in V1’s programme. Some exhibitions take a direct, unconventional approach to what art can look like; others use their chosen medium to address social or political subjects. There is no single style to expect across every visit.

The gallery occupies a relatively small space, with a basement area as well as the main rooms. Look through both before leaving: the basement is part of the visit, and works there can be easy to miss if you stay upstairs. Exhibition openings and events are another way to see the gallery with other people gathered around the current show.