Bigert & Bergström, Solar Egg

About

This fall, a five meter tall golden egg with a sauna inside lands in the middle of Kunsthal Charlottenborg’s courtyard. The golden egg titled Solar Egg is a sculpture created by the Swedish art duo Bigert & Bergström (b. 1965 and 1962) for Riksbyggen.

Solar Egg is a social sculpture, where both locals and visitors to Copenhagen can meet. In the Nordic countries, the sauna holds a key position as a space for warmth and reflection. Picking up on this tradition, Bigert & Bergström have developed a symbolic sculpture intended as space for conversations and the exchange of ideas. The project reflects the artists’ overall strategy of incorporating the climate in our experience of their art; a recurring trait of their work since they created a series of climate chambers back in 1994.

Solar Egg is made of wood and covered in a stainless golden mirror surface whose many facets reflect its surroundings. In the centre of the egg is a wood-fired, heart-shaped sauna stove made of iron and stone. The temperature inside the sculpture is between 75° and 85°C. Visitors will be able to book sauna appointments three days a week during the exhibition period.

Bigert & Bergström originally designed the Solar Egg for the Swedish housing developer Riksbyggen to stand as a symbol of new beginnings in the town of Kiruna. The city is currently undergoing a radical transformation, which involves a gigantic move for the whole village. The art piece and sauna was created in response to a commission from Riksbyggen developing parts of the new housing in Kiruna.

The exhibition is supported by the Obel Family Foundation and the Danish Arts Foundation.