Olafur Eliasson Transforms Amsterdam’s ARTIS-Aquarium Rotunda

The installation, titled Deep seeing currents, strips away visual clarity to force a heightened sensory engagement. As visitors enter the darkened space, they encounter a complex soundscape of oceanic life and human-made noise, paired with flickering lights that mimic the organic particles essential to abyssal ecosystems. Eliasson argues that by limiting one sense, he can unlock others, allowing the audience to physically feel the vibrations of an environment few humans ever reach.

This commission marks a central pillar of the newly restored ARTIS-Aquarium, an 1882 national monument that reopened in June 2026. The institution has shifted from a traditional display of aquatic life to a hybrid museum space where architecture and contemporary art bridge the gap between scientific research and public wonder. By integrating Eliasson’s work, the aquarium aims to illustrate the interconnectedness of water, from the deepest oceanic trenches to daily life on land. The installation opens to the public on October 3, 2026, with support from the Mondriaan Fund.