Gallery Poulsen presents

No Country for Old Men

New Art From New York and Other Places, Part XVII

"That is no country for old men. The young
In one another's arms, birds in the trees,
– Those dying generations – at their song."
                                                                    — William Butler Yeats, "Sailing to Byzantium" (1928)

Gallery Poulsen presents No Country for Old Men – New Art From New York and Other Places, Part XVII, our annual summer exhibition and one of the highlights of the year, showcasing the latest developments in contemporary art from the world's major cultural capitals.

After a British detour last year, we return—following a long-standing Gallery Poulsen tradition—to drawing the title of our summer exhibition from an American blockbuster film. Many know No Country for Old Men as the Coen brothers' Academy Award-winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, but the title itself originates from William Butler Yeats' poem Sailing to Byzantium, quoted above.

The Coen brothers' film, however, is far more than a crime story. It is a meditation on a world in transition, where established values are challenged and familiar truths gradually lose their footing. It is this broader narrative of change and transformation—rather than the film's specific plot—that provides the conceptual framework for this year's exhibition.

We live in an era in which familiar structures are shifting. Geopolitical balances of power are being redrawn, technological development continues to accelerate, and what once seemed stable and unquestionable is becoming increasingly uncertain. No Country for Old Men reflects a moment defined by uncertainty, transformation, and the feeling of existing between what has passed and what has yet to begin.

The title should not be understood as a nostalgic longing for the past, but rather as a metaphor for a world in transition—a place where generations, ideas, and values intersect, where power shifts, and where the future feels both fragile and unpredictable. It is precisely within such a landscape that art becomes especially relevant—not because it provides answers, but because it creates space for reflection, nuance, and new ways of seeing the world.

The changes taking place around us are reflected in contemporary art. Artists are not detached observers, but individuals deeply affected by the times in which they live. Through images, narratives, and materials, they respond to their surroundings, offering new perspectives on the reality we all share.

In this sense, No Country for Old Men becomes more than a title; it becomes a lens through which to examine and interpret the world we inhabit. Yet the story of a changing world is not solely one of instability and uncertainty. Within transformation lies the possibility of creating something new—through creativity, connection, and new visions of the future. Art reminds us never to lose faith in tomorrow.

This year's exhibition brings together artists from across the globe and from different stages of their careers. Each artist draws upon their own experiences, perspectives, and narratives, allowing individual voices to shape the works on view. Together, they present an authentic and deeply felt portrait of the present moment. Questions of belonging, memory, identity, and adaptation recur throughout the exhibition, reflecting the many different ways we relate to a rapidly changing world.

The result is a diverse presentation of contemporary figurative art, where distinct artistic voices converge to capture something essential about the times we are all striving to navigate.

Opening Saturday August 15,  12.00 – 16:00
Gallery Poulsen, Staldgade 32, Copenhagen V
For more info: +45 33 33 93 96, [email protected],  

Exhibited Works