Sketching on the central square in Copenhagen

A couple of hours with my brushes by the town hall

Reportage drawings by Frits Ahlefeldt – Central square Copenhagen

Sitting and painting the street life at a huge central square, slow in the late summer sun, while people walk home from work, and while a small fake tourist train pick up photo-taking tourists and drive them around the pedestrian streets of central Copenhagen

Looking towards the middle of the plaza, that looks like a copy of an Italian plaza, complete even with the building and everything… there in the middle stands a tiny south-american looking man in a colorful poncho and dark hat, playing a pan flute.

“don’t cry for me Argentina” is on again… and again. In the background the traffic in and out of town is making more noise every time the lights change.

A guy with a phone in his hand and grey hair on his head stops a couple of young girls ” I like your outfit” he says and look at one of the girl’s loose black dress…  “where are you from” he continues  “New England” The young girls giggle before they walk on.

A homeless looking man with a cheap beer in one hand, and an empty coca-cola bottle in the other stops by, “nice” he say… “I like the old art more, the new art is shit, you can’t see what it is all about” I nod, he is 54 he say, older than me. Blue eyes and a dirty hat over his blond hair. ” “you missed one of the poles over there” he nods in the direction of the end of the plaza. ” you are right” I say and adds it to the drawing. He nods approving. “have a nice day” he say and walks on hunting for more bottles he can trade in for beer – to the tunes of “don’t cry for me Argentina”