Events

Painted in saturated cobalt blue with black swirling octopuses for legs, Ida Ekblad’s Kraken Möbel (Octopus Furniture), 2019, belongs to the artist’s series of benches. Inspired by Norse folklore, the benches embody a striking and mysterious mythos, incorporating features of the legendary ‘Kraken’, an octopus of enormous size, said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland and terrorise passing ships.

‘The benches [...] invite us to take our time. Their seats are held up by the octopuses, invertebrates that are notoriously intelligent. They are important to Nordic mythology, trigger strong emotions, and giant octopuses are known to drag ships and people into the ocean’s depths. Like Ekblad’s work, their long arms reach out into all directions. [...] Everything has the potential to be significant – especially everyday life.’

– Daniel Baumann, 2019