Mette Jensen: 1950-2020

Mette JensenIt is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend, Mette Kirstine Jensen (13.12.1950 - 22.02.2020).

 

Mette was well known to the Magdalena network through the Transit festivals, organised by Julia Varley at Odin Teatret. Since the first Transit festival in 1992, Mette was an integral part of the catering team, ensuring that festival participants were kept supplied with good food and hot coffee, and opening her home to accommodate guest artists. Always smiling and often laughing, despite her own personal hardships, Mette was loved and appreciated by all who met her.

As Julia Varley writes in her tribute to Mette, she made a significant contribution to Odin Teatret - starting the Odin Friends group of volunteers who provided essential support for Transit, the Festuge, Odin Week and other events, and assisting in the establishment of the Odin Archives. Mette was also a great supporter and friend of Teatret OM, as they write in their tribute: she welcomed them into her home when they first arrived in Denmark and continued to support their festivals and productions over the decades as well as encouraging their integration into Danish life.

 

Jill Greenhalgh writes:

Mette was a gem, a jewel of a person who shone her kindness and caring on so many of us. 

Julia’s words have said so much and so appropriately that I feel I have little to add except that returning to the Odin again in the future will leave me experiencing a gap. 

I always loved the hug that she genuinely gave me in welcome each time I arrived. I always looked forward to her being in the Transit restaurant with her smile and service.  

She strode on, she was strong, she gave love and she is to be honoured. Fly high dear Mette.

And a small poem by the late Margaret Cameron who adored Mette:

 

Mette Jensen, Transit Festival, 2009. Photo by Helen Varley Jamieson

strength is courage

strength enables
and strength is quiet

strength gives care
and strength waits 

strength attends
and strength sustains

strength bends
and strength holds

strength carries

and strength remembers