Nina Canell “Future Mechanism Rag Plus Two Grams” at Simian, Copenhagen

As soon as you enter the exhibition space at Simian in Ørestad, Copenhagen, for Nina Canell’s show titled “Future Mechanism Rag Plus Two Grams,” you are immediately captivated by the immersive atmosphere and the use of materials that characterize the artist’s work.

Simian, an independent space for contemporary art, is located in an underground venue that has been transformed into a vast 1,300 square meter exhibition space. This industrial and post-modern setting provides an ideal context for Canell’s works, which explore the transformative properties of materials and their energetic potential through friction and interaction.

The atmosphere of the exhibition is both intimate and expansive, thanks to the clever use of space and the sparse arrangement of the works. Canell’s sculptures, with their delicate and almost invisible assemblies of common objects like bottle caps and shoelaces, hang from the ceiling and integrate seamlessly into the architecture of the place. These works are animated by frequency generators that create a vibrant soundscape, making the visit a multisensory experience.

The exhibition features a group of sculptures shown together for the first time, as well as a new collaborative video with Robin Watkins. Each piece seems to exist in a state of perpetual transformation, recording the sounds and movements that pass through it, challenging our perception of stability and permanence. It’s as if the sculptures themselves are alive, reacting and interacting with their surroundings and the visitors.

The combination of simple materials and advanced technologies creates a fascinating dialogue between the natural and the artificial, the past and the future. This sense of continuous evolution and interconnectedness is further accentuated by the exhibition’s soundtrack, which transforms every movement and every breath into a part of the artistic composition. Nina Canell is known for her ability to transform everyday materials into artworks that challenge conventions and stimulate reflection. In “Future Mechanism Rag Plus Two Grams,” this skill is particularly evident through the use of found materials and common objects that, once assembled, become tools for exploring the physical and sonic properties of space.

The displayed sculptures are composed of reclaimed objects such as bottle caps, coins, and shoelaces, which Canell has expertly tied together with cords, wires, and other linear elements. These assemblages not only challenge our expectations of what can be considered “art” but also serve as conductors of energy and sound. The frequency generators attached to the sculptures create vibrations that pass through the materials, producing subtle yet perceptible sounds and movements.

This method is not random but the result of a careful study of the properties of materials and their interactions. Canell uses technology to animate her sculptures, creating a symphony of sounds that reflect the friction and abrasion between objects. Her choice of materials is both poetic and practical, aiming to show how even the humblest materials can have a life of their own and a story to tell.

Canell’s works also explore the concept of nonlinear time. Her vibrating sculptures and the sounds they produce suggest a fluid temporal dimension where past, present, and future overlap. This is further emphasized in the collaborative video “Energy Budget,” where ostrich feathers, used to remove dust in car factories, become symbols of a distant past and advanced technology.

The choice of ostrich feathers is not accidental. These feathers have unique electrostatic properties that make them ideal for capturing dust, an element Canell uses as a metaphor for the accumulation and transformation of materials over time. The video shows a car passing through columns of ostrich feathers, creating an interaction between the ancient and the modern, between nature and technology.

One of the sculptures displays a series of objects tied together, delicately hanging from a thread, highlighting the fragility and complexity of interactions between different materials.

Nina Canell has always explored the potential of materials and their interactions with the environment. In her previous works, like those seen in “Energy Budget” (2017-2024), the artist focused on electrostatic energy and material transformation. In this exhibition, Canell takes these themes to a deeper and more complex level, introducing sound and vibratory elements that add a performative dimension to her sculptures. Canell’s past works often reflect a certain stillness, focusing on the intrinsic qualities of materials and their ability to transform over time. In “Future Mechanism Rag Plus Two Grams,” however, the sculptures become dynamic and interactive. Found materials, such as bottle caps, coins, and shoelaces, are not just objects of passive observation but become active participants in an ongoing performance. This transformation is facilitated by the use of frequency generators that animate the sculptures, creating a symphony of sounds resonating within the exhibition space.

This shift from passive observation to active participation is a key aspect of Canell’s evolution as an artist. Her works now not only exist in time and space but interact with them in new and unexpected ways. This interaction is particularly evident in the choice of materials: ordinary and humble objects that, through interaction with technology, acquire new life and meaning.

The collaborative video “Energy Budget” represents another example of how Canell has evolved her approach. Using ostrich feathers, a material with unique electrostatic properties, Canell explores the relationship between ancient and modern technology. The feathers, used in automotive manufacturing to remove dust, become symbols of a profound connection between the past and the present. This fusion of the old and the new, the natural and the artificial, is a recurring theme in Canell’s work and finds powerful expression in this exhibition.

Another notable aspect is the setting of the exhibition itself. Simian, with its industrial and underground architecture, provides an ideal context for Canell’s works. The exhibition space is not just a container for the sculptures but actively participates in the artistic experience, amplifying the sounds and vibrations that permeate the works.

At the end of the exhibition journey, we emerge with a renewed awareness of the dynamic nature of materials and their infinite possibilities for transformation. This experience does not end within the walls of Simian but continues to resonate, inviting us to consider the world around us in new and surprising ways.