Jakob Kudsk Steensen's Digital Swamp 'Wetland' Opens at MoMA October 12
On October 12, 2026, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City will unveil "Wetland," an immersive digital swamp created by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, which will be on display until March 7, 2027. This exhibition showcases Berl-Berl, a simulated swamp that has been in development since 2021, employing macro photogrammetry alongside game-engine technology. Visitors will encounter expansive screens featuring photographs and 3D scans of wetlands, enhanced with digitally modified field recordings and vocals from artists like Venezuelan musician Arca. Kudsk Steensen's research on Berlin's swamps informed the project, which has previously been exhibited in Denmark, South Korea, and Switzerland. A giant tree representing the Slavic god Triglav is part of the installation. In July, the UN recognized the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Key facts
- "Wetland" opens at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City on October 12, 2026, and remains on view through March 7, 2027
- The exhibition features a single work: Berl-Berl, a simulated swamp installation by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, created in 2021 and continually evolving
- The installation uses macro photogrammetry and game-engine software to simulate the movements, sounds, and sights of a large-scale swamp
- Digitally altered field recordings of amphibians and riverine rhythms are mixed with human vocals, including those of Venezuelan musician Arca
- Berl-Berl was inspired by the swamps surrounding Berlin and was first installed at Berghain, a nightclub in a decommissioned East German power plant
- Kudsk Steensen studied the Berlin landscape for months with Berlin's natural history museum, using photography, sound recording, kayaking, swamp-slogging, and archival research
- Previous iterations of the installation have appeared in Denmark, South Korea, Switzerland, and elsewhere in Berlin; the Slavic god Triglav appears at MoMA as a giant tree
- In July, the United Nations added the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, a swamp between Florida and Georgia, to its list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Entities
Artists
- Jakob Kudsk Steensen
- Arca
- Frank Rose
- Juule Kay
- Paola Antonelli
- Triglav
- Nøkken
- Christian Thorsberg
- Navi Pillay
- Matt McCorkle
- kathy wu
Institutions
- Museum of Modern Art
- Berghain
- New York Times
- Dazed
- United Nations
- UNESCO
- Berlin natural history museum
- Smithsonian Magazine
- Circle of Blue
- Sierra magazine
- Discover magazine
- Alaska Sporting Journal
- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
- Hyundai Card
- MoMA's Writing Club
- New York Art Life
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Berlin
- Germany
- Denmark
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
- Florida
- Georgia
- Chicago
- Alexandria
- New York
- Manhattan
- Agnes Gund Garden Lobby
- 11 West 53rd Street