TICKON

TICKON is an innovative site where artists from around the world have come to create one of a kind masterpieces. These pieces differ from most others in a typical art collection because they must meet certain natural criteria to be displayed in TICKON; they must be constructed from natural materials from the park itself or local sources. In addition, the work must be produced entirely on the land bad cannot be transported to the site after created. These regulations are yet another reason why TICKON is known internationally. Their dedication to the principles in which they were founded shows that the organization finds the natural Beaty of the park to hold more importance than the prestige that could be possible if they allowed outside installations into their collection. 

Being able to explore the park with its creator was a once in a lifetime experience. The creator, Alfio Bonanno, is a man of mixed decent with close ties to his Sicilian roots. After working as a struggling artist all over the world, he stumbled upon the opportunity to help get TICKON off the ground and in 1993 the park was opened with 14 one of a kind pieces by both Danish and international artists. As stated in the brochure for TICKON, the artists chosen to create their pieces on the land are giving "a gift to the landscape". 

Each piece on the land has its own story. It would be very easy to learn about the art of TICKON in a textbook or by googling the name of the piece, but not many people have the chance to walk around the park with its founder. Bonanno was very clear when explaining the importance of TICKON and how much the park meant to him. He said that he did not work so hard to open the park to make a work of his own but rather to enrich the artistic culture if Denmark. In fact, Bonnano did not create a work of his own in TICKON until many years after the opening of the park when they needed a new piece in the collection but there was limited funding at the time. He took this opportunity to create a work created from long logs and rocks. This beautiful piece has been standing for over a decade and is coping very well in its environment. Walking with Bonanno offered a completely different perspective on all of the artwork. The way he views the pieces is one which utilizes the beauty of the elements that affect the art. For example, the large rock in front of Bonnano's piece had a bird dropping on it. Many people would take this site for what it was and disregard its presence in the meaning if the sculpture but Bonanno did not. He viewed it as "an organic line that catches the attention of the onlooker" and thought that the temporary addition made the piece more interesting rather than take away from the beauty of his work. 

Traveling around to the other preceding, Bonanno was able to tell us stories about many pieces that the artists themselves told him. He was there from the very beginning and over 20 years later, he is still there supporting the future of the park. Sadly many of the pieces have diminished over the years due to the organic decay of the materials used but this fate was known from the very creation of the park. For example, the piece known as the "Organic Highway" by Mikael Hansen has been restored by the original artist twice already. It won't be restored again that because natural decay can only be prolonged for so long. Bonanno said that even though one day the park will only have mere traces of the once one of a kind works, the legacy of the art will always remain.