Olivia Rode Hvass's Floating Reed House on a Former Psychiatric Hospital Lake

Museet for Samtidskunst presents Olivia Rode Hvass's exhibition "She listens but she can't speak" at Skt. Hans, Roskilde, on the grounds of a former psychiatric hospital. The centerpiece is a small reed house floating on the lake, built from reeds that grow at the water's edge. Inside, a yellow cocoon made of building foam is visible through the window and door. The cocoon was first drawn by Hvass during a hospital visit for a friend who lost the ability to speak. The sculpture is that drawing made physical. Reed was chosen for its durability in water; it has been used for thatched roofs in Denmark, reed boats in South America, and floating islands by the Ma'dan people in Iraq. The work is visible 24/7, requiring no gallery hours. Hvass plans to burn the piece after the exhibition closes, framing it as transformation rather than destruction. The exhibition is curated by the nomadic Museet for Samtidskunst, which currently resides at Skt. Hans.