Transforming a historic monument into a statement about collective brilliance
In an era of growing uncertainty for global science and research, A State of Denmark wanted to position its ecosystem as a haven for international research talent.
Task
Create an international, PR-worthy campaign with local impact that called on researchers and scientists from around the world to come have the unique experience of working in Denmark.
Solution
A large-scale bust of renowned Danish physicist Niels Bohr stands tall outside of Copenhagen University. For Open World Scientific conference, we built to-scale busts of key collaborators that he once brought to Copenhagen from around the world — some unsung, some legendary— and reunited Bohr with a striking constellation of his counterparts. Hoping to reframe the visual language of scientific legacy and echo Bohr’s notion that science and progress cannot stand alone.
Results
The busts of Margrethe Bohr, Oskar Klein, Yoshio Nishina, Ben Roy Mottelson, George Gamow, Albert Einstein, and Marie Curie joined Bohr’s in a prominent, heavily-trafficked square in the center of Copenhagen as a declaration of A State of Denmark's values and role in the scientific community; garnering the attention of countless passersby.
The installation is now on permanent display at the Old Library at Copenhagen University, as an ongoing tribute to the spirit that drives us forward.
