SUPERFLEX's 'Come Hell or High Water' at ARKEN: Activism Meets Theatre

In 2026, the Danish artist group SUPERFLEX, consisting of Bjørnstjerne Reuter Christiansen, Jakob Fenger, and Rasmus Rosengren Nielsen, will showcase a mid-career exhibition entitled 'Come Hell or High Water' at the ARKEN Museum for Samtidskunst in Ishøj. The exhibition envisions a future inundated by water, with the museum's ship-like Art Axis reimagined as an underwater realm illuminated in blue light and accompanied by deep-sea sounds. Featured works include early conceptual pieces such as 'The Tube' (1993) and 'The Campaign' (1994), alongside participatory initiatives like 'Supergas/Share' (1998) and 'Guarana Power' (2003/2004), which supported Brazilian guaraná farmers. The highlight, 'The Ark Factory' (2026), creates pink building blocks from ice and cement for marine life. Critics have pointed out the exhibition's overly polished presentation, questioning the practicality of SUPERFLEX's activism when items like a functioning operating table are pre-sold to collectors. This year marks the thirty-third anniversary of SUPERFLEX and the thirtieth for ARKEN.