Exhibition design for the Women's History Museum Umeå
I was tasked with coming up with an aesthetic concept and exhibition design with a brief to aptly present the #metoo movement in Sweden while creating a safe space for visitors confronting material they may find triggering.
I felt it was essential to give the exhibition a strong femme aesthetique and wanted to include transparent elements. Ideation quickly led me to utopian 1960s sci-fi, specifically the film Barbarella. The movie features Jane Fonda as an insatiable sex kitten exploring space in her furry space ship, in a time when the world has evolved far from violence and war. I'm fond not just of the visual orgasm of this film but of the era - late 1960s - when there was still so much idealism and optimism. I wanted to bring some retro futurist utopian space vibes to the museum and create an over the top space that feels welcoming, forward looking, hyperfeminine and embracing.
The exhibition includes 200 meters of pink gorilla fur, custom furniture, plexiglass displays and resin casts of memorabilia from 2018-2023 (such as a worn trainer with a feminist message, books, a t-shirt and speaker notes from the main demonstration in Stockholm). Strong textural contrasts are achieved between the furry soft shapes and the transparent plastic elements that include sharp fingernails, rhinestones and visible media technology. There is plenty of room for relaxing and reflecting with meditation pods, as well as for being social- like a corner with props dedicated to selfies. The faux fur gives a warm feeling and great acoustics.
The exhibition has been featured in Swedish media -on national radio (Kultur P1 https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sockervadds-rosa-metoo-utstallning-vill-bjuda-in-till-trygghet-och-kritik ) and the design was reviewed by VK Kultur ( https://www.vk.se/2022-10-17/metoo-rorelsen-som-en-inbjudande-famn )
#METOO is open for 18 months, until spring 2024.
The exhibition content was produced in house by the museum, graphic design bureau Pondus print production NRA.
Big thanks to Niklas Rudolfsson who worked with me on carpentry and detailing.
Full list of content contributors and more info on the museum website: https://www.kvinnohistoriskt.se/4.2c7b64418183d9d777a72.html
I felt it was essential to give the exhibition a strong femme aesthetique and wanted to include transparent elements. Ideation quickly led me to utopian 1960s sci-fi, specifically the film Barbarella. The movie features Jane Fonda as an insatiable sex kitten exploring space in her furry space ship, in a time when the world has evolved far from violence and war. I'm fond not just of the visual orgasm of this film but of the era - late 1960s - when there was still so much idealism and optimism. I wanted to bring some retro futurist utopian space vibes to the museum and create an over the top space that feels welcoming, forward looking, hyperfeminine and embracing.
The exhibition includes 200 meters of pink gorilla fur, custom furniture, plexiglass displays and resin casts of memorabilia from 2018-2023 (such as a worn trainer with a feminist message, books, a t-shirt and speaker notes from the main demonstration in Stockholm). Strong textural contrasts are achieved between the furry soft shapes and the transparent plastic elements that include sharp fingernails, rhinestones and visible media technology. There is plenty of room for relaxing and reflecting with meditation pods, as well as for being social- like a corner with props dedicated to selfies. The faux fur gives a warm feeling and great acoustics.
The exhibition has been featured in Swedish media -on national radio (Kultur P1 https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sockervadds-rosa-metoo-utstallning-vill-bjuda-in-till-trygghet-och-kritik ) and the design was reviewed by VK Kultur ( https://www.vk.se/2022-10-17/metoo-rorelsen-som-en-inbjudande-famn )
#METOO is open for 18 months, until spring 2024.
The exhibition content was produced in house by the museum, graphic design bureau Pondus print production NRA.
Big thanks to Niklas Rudolfsson who worked with me on carpentry and detailing.
Full list of content contributors and more info on the museum website: https://www.kvinnohistoriskt.se/4.2c7b64418183d9d777a72.html
