Fanefjord Church on Møn is one of Denmark’s most beautiful churches from the Middle Ages. The church is from 1250, and famous for its fantastic chalk “al fresco” paintings. In 2023, Pia Jensen was commissioned to create a new alter carpet which, by virtue of its expressive qualities, would enter into dialogue with the altarpiece and the remarkable chalk frescoes of the church.
“I wanted to design a carpet, which imbued calmness and room for private reflection. A carpet which would also seem larger than it physically was, to create a balance with the monumental altarpiece, and which also remained grounded as a floor piece. And a carpet which reached from the choir down towards the nave and the congregation present.”
Fanefjord Church is a smaller church with whitewashed walls, cubicled pews, and an incredible abundance of frescoes on its vaulted ceilings. The appearance seems plain and stringent, yet there is great detail in its ornamentation and interior. Here can be found white, oxblood red, light grey and a delicate olive green with a yellow brick-tiled floor.
After several visits to the church and a lengthy research phase, including R. Broby-Johansens image bible of Danish chalk frescoes, amongst other material, it is a crocheted altar cloth with a clamshell pattern which captures Pia Jensen’s interest. The niches of the pulpit are also in the shape of clamshells, and if you follow the “Camøno”, you will wander past Fanefjord Church, which is always open. On completing the Spanish pilgrim route, the famed Camino, at Santiago de Compostela, one is given a clamshell. The story comes full circle, and the inspiration finally falls into place. The clamshell must fill the whole of the choir floor, yet only a small part of the shell will be visible within the confines of the altar carpet.
An abstract clamshell motif thereby became the centrepoint of the design which, by virtue of its colour scheme, would harmonize with the original colour scale of the church. A smaller detail of a larger whole. A little piece of the world, which connects with the greater picture. Calm, yet symbolic. Harmonic, yet significant. And colourful, but also toned down.
The sketch proposal was approved by the parish council, and the weaving of the carpet could begin. The 14 kilos of yarn were dyed in 8 carefully selected colours, following 54 dye tests: 2 chalk white, 1 yellowish, 1 greyish white, 1 ochre yellow, 1 evergreen, 1 earth brown, 1 delicate blue and 2 red. The loom was set up with 6-meter-long flax threads. Over the course of 5 months, the altar carpet manifested itself; 1616 hand-woven wefts, with up to 25 butterflies per weft – producing between 4 and 9 cm per day. The altar carpet was taken in use in December 2024. A new polster cover for the kneeling area, which surrounds the new carpet in the choir, awaits approval. Whole and part. Architecture and artisanal craft. Religion and history. Pia Jensen in Fanefjord Church.
