Jakob Kudsk Steensen: Wetland

Wetland

Jakob Kudsk Steensen

MoMA, Garden Lobby
On view until 7 March 2027

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What lies beneath the streets we walk every day? Much of Berlin was built over wetlands, leaving traces of ecosystems that have slowly disappeared from view. Berl-Berl takes its title from the Slavic word for “swamp”, the origin of Berlin’s name. Jakob Kudsk Steensen brings these forgotten landscapes back to life through an immersive digital world shaped by ecological research, local folklore, songs and field recordings. The work invites us to look at our surroundings differently, reconnect with nature and reflect on what is lost when ecosystems disappear, serving as a poignant reminder of the importance of memory, imagination and our connection to the natural world, not only for the health of our environment but for our own wellbeing.

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Artwork credits
Creator and artist: Jakob Kudsk Steensen; co-producer: Elizabeth Kircher; sound composer: Matt McCorkle; vocalization: Arca; 3D development and technology design: Erratic Animist Studio; technical manager: Wouter Weynants; tech consultant: Todd Bryant; installation producer: Andrea Familari; spatial sound design: Lugh O’Neill

Organized by Juyeon Song, Hyundai Card Exchange Visitor, and Lydia Mullin, Manager of Collection Galleries, Department of Curatorial Affairs.

This work was originally commissioned by LAS Art Foundation.

We are proud to have provided support for interdisciplinary research and development.

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