Nina Canell's Sculptural Frequency Experiments Transform Copenhagen Gallery Space

Nina Canell's exhibition 'Future Mechanism Rag Plus Two Grams' at Simian in Copenhagen features eight sculptures that create subtle auditory environments through vibrating materials. Each work consists of a laboratory-style frequency generator connected to plastic cylinders that cause attached cords to vibrate, with various found objects like tea bag labels, glittery foil, bottle caps, and seashells suspended along them. The exhibition includes the video 'Energy Budget' (2017–24), created with collaborator Robin Watkins, showing an automobile chassis being brushed by ostrich feathers in a factory setting. Canell's installations transform the subterranean gallery's acoustics, making ambient sounds like footsteps or whistles become amplified against the concrete surfaces. The sculptures demonstrate her interest in material interactions and the constant flux of seemingly static objects. The exhibition runs from 1 June to 1 September 2024.