Olafur Eliasson creates deep-sea experience for new ARTIS Aquarium

This autumn, ARTIS Aquarium in Amsterdam will present a new commissioned installation by internationally renowned artist Olafur Eliasson. Titled "Deep seeing currents," the multisensory artwork is designed for the aquarium's monumental rotunda, aiming to immerse visitors in the experience of the deep sea.

The installation utilizes sound, light, and vibrations to simulate the pressure and conditions of the deep ocean. Eliasson explained that by limiting one sense, others are unlocked, helping to evoke this otherwise unimaginable environment. Visitors will be enveloped by darkness and sounds of underwater life, including whale songs and hydrothermal vent rumbles, with descending lights mimicking marine snow.

The ARTIS Aquarium, a national monument, has undergone extensive restoration and will reopen to the public in June 2026. The new aquarium aims to be a museum environment where architecture, installations, science, and art converge to tell a story about the connection between humans, water, and nature. Eliasson's installation adds a new dimension, blending wonder, experience, and urgency.

"Deep seeing currents" will be on view from October 3, 2026.