Silently and gracefully, the swans sweep through the water, as they have for countless years. Their timeless silhouettes stand in beautiful contrast to the man-made constructions, reaching skyward and ever-changing. The swans remain unchanged, retaining their timeless essence.
My photo was taken on a cold January morning, 2024 in Copenhagen. As I was walking on the dock of the Royal Playhouse, I spotted these two beautiful swans gracefully and silently sweeping through the water in front of the construction site of the new Papirøen (Paper Island).
The light, the reflection and the way the swans silently sweeped pass me in front the futuristic constructions rising behind them in the old part of Copenhagen, felt like an ode to H. C. Andersen, to Copenhagen and to the changing of times.
For over 300 years, Papirøen (originally named Christiansholm) served as reclaimed land for a variety of crucial functions for the city of Copenhagen: from shipyard to military hospital, cannon storage, coal depot, and paper warehouse. Today, most Copenhageners best recall the time of paper storage, which earned Christiansholm its current nickname: Papirøen.
