Jakob Kudsk Steensen: Psychosphere

Cisternerne, Denmark

15 March – 30 November 2025

‍

An Immersive Exploration of the Deep Sea and Origins of Life

‍

We are thrilled to be providing Foundational Research Support for Jakob Kudsk Steensen’s upcoming exhibition Psychosphere, which explores new perspectives on sentience and consciousness through origins of life in the deep sea. This immersive installation of sound, glass sculpture, light and moving image, set within the unique conditions of Copenhagen’s 4000+ square metre subterranean cave - Cisternerne, is the latest virtual world from Kudsk Steensen, well known for his ecological and collaborative research.

Kudsk Steensen has been documenting underwater vents since 2019. Key collaborators include esteemed author and researcher Melanie Challenger, art and advocacy foundation TBA21 who are committed to fostering deeper relationships with our oceans, as well as RevOcean, a world-leading research vessel exploring underwater volcanoes with deep sea robots. From this source material, he has built a musical, sonic and virtual world, which will invite audiences to surrender to more-than-human perspectives.

‘Through my works I have explored new perspectives on natural environments, but the deeper intention has been to convey deep psychological and emotional impacts on audiences. Through this collaborative project, I explore new evolutionary concepts of inter-species psyche and their origins at sea.’ – Jakob Kudsk Steensen

The site's constant near 100% humidity, coupled with the capacity to flood its chambers with water up to 3.7 metres deep, adds an atmospheric layer that enhances the psychological and sensory impact of the installation. The ancient dripstone caverns of Cisternerne further catalyse the themes of the project, creating a resonant environment where art and science converge in a profound exploration of life’s origins and the mysteries of consciousness.

Ultimately Psychosphere invites audiences into a site-specific immersive experience expressed through a polyphony of moving-image, sound, and glass sculpture. Throughout the chambers of Cisternene, Psychosphere's interactive systems and musical cadences connect different species’ perceptions and tectonic voices with one another, and across different modalities.

‍

^{Image credit: Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Preview Visualisation (still) for Psychosphere, 2024-25. Courtesy the Artist.}

‍