AQUANAUTS
EXHIBITION
This critically acclaimed exhibition depicts the history and discovery of the striking, beautiful, and mysterious creatures »Homo aquatis«.
We are proud to present »Aquanauts: the expedition« at Örebro slott opening at june 15!
About the exhibition
»Aquanauts: the expedition« invites you into a sensory world of its own. It is loved equally by the generation who grew up with Harry Potter, history-loving elders, and book-devouring ten-year-olds. It is a large exhibition that can be displayed in 300–1000 square meters. It includes 3 films, 12 sculptures, 8 scent experiences, 4 sound showers, 22 luminous photographs, 10 floating drawings, 7 artifacts, 3 fossils, 1 scientific library, and a 400-liter aquarium with fry.
Contact us if you want to showcase the exhibition, and we will tell you more.
The finds are nothing short of astonishing.
Suddenly, nine suitcases and two wooden crates arrive at the Ontological Museum in Stockholm. The anonymous donation contains drawings, films, photographic negatives on glass plates, a peculiar skull, and dried scent traces. In September 1897, Beata Gardelius and Inga-Lisa Blomgren disappeared during an expedition to Siljansringen. The fate of these two women remains unknown to this day.
Unique replicas.
In the exhibition, we encounter life-sized sculptures of these unknown primates: Testa ostreae, Cochlea brunneis, Paleoris alba, Detractisque corticibus, Animantis ramusculi, Conche hyacinthum, and Nigrum folium.
The sculptures are created by Pompe Hedengren.
Photograph by Carl Thorborg.
The first photograph of »Homo aquatis«.
Beata Gardelius writes in her diary: »4 in the morning. My hands are shaking. Can I even trust what my eyes saw last night? New moon. Something glimmers in the corner of my eye. What kind of creature is emerging before us?«
Photograph by Sara Mac Key
A unique skull with a shell-like structure.
»Today, the camera lens captured what seemed to be a humanoid relic. Exposed among the stones in Styggforsen, we encountered a peculiar skull, human but still fused with a shell-like organ covering the right ear and side of the face. This shell, Cochlea in Latin, was abundantly endowed with labyrinthine hollows and swirls."«
The drawings reveal unforgettable discoveries.
During the summer months of 1897, Inga-Lisa depicts both the environment around Skålberget in Siljansringen and the anatomy of the various flocks. They write: »In the shallow, sun-warmed water of the pond, a collection of embryos rests in their shimmering, translucent casings.«
The drawings are made by Pompe Hedengren.
»Testa ostreae« – created from thousands of oysters.
A flock can be identified as »Testa ostreae«. The individuals are covered with shells resembling oysters. Beata Gardelius' diary also shows – not surprisingly – that several of the species they describe are neither female nor male. »They are all genders,« she writes in her diary. The replica is created in life size from thousands of real oysters.
Sculpture by Pompe Hedengren. Photograph by Carl Thorborg.
The book.
In »Aquanauts – The Expedition to Siljansringen«, we follow the dramatic events during the summer of 1897. Beata Gardelius has kept a diary of her and Inga-Lisa's experiences. The book is created by Pompe Hedengren with his story, sculptures, and drawings. Sara Mac Key has taken the beautiful photographs, and Josefin Rosales and Olof Hedengren have written the dramatic diary.
The book can be ordered online and is published by Orfeus+Arvinius.
ARTISTS OF THE EXHIBITION
Direction, sculptures, drawings, set design: Pompe Hedengren.
Photography: Sara Mac Key.
Artistic producer: Erik Gullberg.
Texts: Josefin Rosales and Olof Hedengren.
Photographs of the species: Carl Thorborg, Sara Mac Key.
Additional film scenes: Peter Hoelstad.
Film editing: Pompe Hedengren, Johan Björnsrud.
Scents: Karolina Stockhaus.
Costumes: Julia Wallman.
Music: Lasse Sander.
Sound effects: Mats Blomberg.
Beata Gardelius: Gertrud Ekman Öhrn.
Inga-Lisa Blomgren: Carina Kraft Thomassen.
Head aquanaut: Anna Sommansson.
Aquanauts: Elin Mellqvist, Helga Stensson, Petter Hydén, Elric Sauze, Helga Stensson, Kaisa Fexe, Linda Sjöberg Thelenius, Maria Strandlund, Sara Strandlund, Jonas Beckman, Henrik Lundgren.
Narrators: Hedda Stiernstedt, Olof Hedengren.
Historical costumes: Kicki Ilander Grafström.
Hair and makeup: Sofia Lewandrowski.
Historical research: Frida Starck Lindfors.
Design consulting: Tilda Hedengren.
Digital consulting: Petter Hydén.
A Q U A N A U T S E X H I B I T I O N
The finds from the Expedition to the Siljan Ring are nothing short of astonishing, this critically acclaimed exhibition deeply resonates with its audience.
W I T C H E S
Exactly 350 years ago, Sweden was hit by witch hysteria. The panic ignites the bonfire across the whole country. Step into the darkest tale in Sweden's history.
C R A F T S
The axe-makers, florists, cobblers, and tattoo artists are the stars of our grand live exhibition featuring traditional and innovative craftsmen in Sweden.
A Q U A N A U T S S H O W
This performance has been seen by over 130,000 people. A visual narrative of love, tolerance, and solidarity that leaves no one untouched.
G O T H E N B U R G 4 0 0
We wanted to create a gigantic cylindrical screen that you could step into! Pompe directed the film about Gothenburg's exciting 400-year history.
T A L E S
Step into Stina Wirsén's emotional tales about close relationships. Climb onto Klara Suchowiak's wonderful sculptures »Rest« and »Embrace.«
H A U T E P A P I E R
Bea Szenfeld's works of thousands of papers become wearable sculptures gazing into Stina Wirsén's fashion animals and fashionistas on the catwalk.
N A T I O N A L M U S E U M
For the grand reopening, Pompe and Johan directed the eighty-meter-wide and thirty-meter-high film projected onto the museum's facade.
C I T Y H A L L
When Ragnar Östberg's magnificent building turned a hundred, we were asked to create a 180-degree film experience during the royal banquet.