This year’s exhibition project in Cisternerne is made by the internationally renowned artist Jeppe Hein (DK). Hein invites the audience to journey through the underground’s labyrinthic colonnades and at the same time experience an inner journey. You must confront the darkness to be able to see the light, as Hein makes clear with the title of his most comprehensive exhibition in Copenhagen thus far: IN IS THE ONLY WAY OUT.
Jeppe Hein is well-known for his interactive and playful sculptures and art installations, installed all over the world, among these his mirror labyrinths and water pavilions and his series of Modified Social Benches which challenges our way of being together. A prominent characteristic of Hein’s artworks is that they are not complete until they meet their audience who is always invited to participate.
IN IS THE ONLY WAY OUT is a total installation taking up the 4320 m2 of Cisternerne and inviting the visitor onto an underground journey from the darkness into the light, on the way experiencing both challenges, surprises and disorientation. The cold and moist climate of Cisternerne forces itself on you and insists that you are present in the now. In the same way, Hein’s artworks enable visitors to feel: I am right here right now.
In the first room of the exhibit, the underground stillness is torn by the violent sound of a flame activated when a visitor approaches. When moving deeper into the underground the visitor is met by a series of round, rotating mirrors which heightens the sense of disorientation found among the dark colonnades.
Deepest within Cisternerne, a concert takes place. Every visitor activates a sensor sending a ball on a dynamic route through the colonnades where it hits Tibetan singing bowls on its way. The more visitors are present in the room, the more tones sound at any one time. The tunes connect the visitors who, unconsciously, create music together.
With this exhibition the artist unfolds a general theme: to be able to experience the light, you sometimes must confront and overcome the darkness: IN IS THE ONLY WAY OUT.