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  • The exhibition transforms the museum entrance into a sensory environment mimicking natural wetlands through digital means.
  • The work relies on data collected from field research in Berlin, blending scientific imaging with artistic interpretation.
  • Curators view the project as an example of technology serving to deepen human connection with nature rather than distance it.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City is introducing a new immersive exhibition that replaces traditional gallery displays with a simulated natural environment. Opening on October 12, the show occupies the museum’s lobby and aims to envelop visitors in a digital representation of a swamp. The installation seeks to create a sensory disconnect from the surrounding urban landscape, offering a futuristic vision of nature that contrasts sharply with the frenetic pace of city life.

Created by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, the exhibition centers on a single work titled Berl-Berl. This piece is not static but has evolved since its initial creation in 2021. The name and form draw inspiration from the wetlands surrounding Berlin, many of which have been lost to urban development. Steensen collaborated with Berlin’s natural history museum to conduct extensive field research, including kayaking, photography, and archival study, to document the landscape and humanity’s relationship with these habitats.

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The technical foundation of the installation combines macro photogrammetry with game-engine software. Macro photogrammetry involves transforming microscopic details into larger images, allowing for the illumination and archiving of often-overlooked textures in wetland soils, plants, and water currents. Game-engine technology, typically used in video games, simulates the movements, sounds, and sights of a large-scale swamp across wall-spanning screens that display 3D scans and photographs of real-life wetlands.

Audio plays a critical role in the experience, mixing digitally altered field recordings of amphibians and river rhythms with human vocals. The sound design includes contributions from Venezuelan musician Arca. Steensen has described the auditory component as having a sense of dance, where elements appear and vanish, shifting between dark and bright tones. This approach reflects his interest in historical practices where songs were used to map ever-changing terrains like rivers and swamps.

The installation’s content remains in a state of flux across different iterations shown in Denmark, South Korea, Switzerland, and Berlin. At MoMA, the digital swamp features Triglav, a three-headed god from Slavic folklore, represented as a giant tree. While the shape-shifting water spirit Nøkken appears in other versions of the work, it is absent from this specific New York iteration. This variability underscores the artist’s intent to keep the work dynamic and responsive to its context.

Steensen originally conceived the project as an immersive show with nature sounds and moving screens. However, during early testing at Berghain, a nightclub in a decommissioned East German power plant, he noticed how his own whistling and clapping created echoes within the space. This realization influenced the development of Berl-Berl, leading to a more interactive and resonant environment that blurs the line between observer and participant.

Paola Antonelli, MoMA’s senior curator of architecture and design, has highlighted the significance of using advanced technology to explore nature and consciousness. She noted that this highly technological aspect of the museum digs deeply into natural themes. Steensen views technology as a connector rather than a divider, using cutting-edge tools to bring himself closer to the natural world he is documenting.

The exhibition runs from October 12, 2026, to March 7, 2027. It serves as both an artistic statement and an archival effort, preserving the textures and sounds of wetlands that are increasingly threatened by development. By placing this digital ecosystem in a prominent urban museum, Steensen invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature through the lens of modern technology.

This project aligns with broader trends in contemporary art where digital media is used to address environmental concerns. The use of photogrammetry and simulation allows for a detailed examination of ecological systems that might otherwise be inaccessible or overlooked. The installation challenges visitors to engage with nature in a new way, mediated by screens but grounded in real-world data and field research.

As the opening approaches, attention is focused on how the digital swamp will resonate with New York audiences accustomed to urban environments. The contrast between the pulsing, colorful ecosystem and the city’s concrete landscape may highlight the absence of such natural spaces in modern metropolitan areas. The exhibition offers a temporary portal back to the mucky landscapes that underlie many major cities, including New York.

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  • Smithsonian Magazine↗A Digital Swamp Coming to New York City’s MoMA Is 'Made to Envelop You' in Nature With the Help of Cutting-Edge Technology