Superflex: The Danish Art Collective Reimagining Our Relationship with Nature

To secure a future for humanity and the planet, it is essential to adopt perspectives beyond the human experience, embracing the viewpoints of other species.

This approach is central to the work of the Copenhagen-based art collective Superflex, who believe that artists have a vital role in shaping a sustainable future.

In 2018, Superflex collaborated with scientists including marine biologists and fish behavior experts on diving expeditions around a small island in Tonga, aiming to confront the looming threat of rising sea levels. Together, they began developing innovative building materials designed to accommodate marine life as oceans encroach on urban areas worldwide.

The collective designed these materials with aquatic life in mind, creating prototypes of their signature Superbricks—curved, cracked bricks that depart from traditional geometric forms. These bricks were developed alongside scuba gear and latex fish masks used during underwater explorations, all intended to foster empathy with marine creatures.

Jakob Fenger, one of Superflex’s founders, explained that these designs enable a perspective "from the fish’s point of view," highlighting the collective’s commitment to rethinking human-centric design.

Superflex is recognized among contemporary artists tackling global challenges by encouraging collaboration not only with other creatives and experts but also with diverse communities, considering the broader ecological impact of their work.

Bjornstjerne Christiansen, co-founder of Superflex, emphasized art’s vital role in shaping infrastructure and landscapes, noting that today’s art should actively engage in building the future.

At a recent international conference focused on biodiversity and technology, panelists from various disciplines discussed how embracing non-human perspectives can inspire more inclusive and life-supporting architectural practices.

Participants agreed that moving beyond human-centered design is essential to creating habitats that nurture the entire web of life on Earth.

Examples shared included algorithmically designed gardens that prioritize pollinators such as bees, and nature-inspired organizational models using fungal mycelium to enhance cultural funding networks.

Architectural scholar Beatriz Colomina called for buildings that foster bacterial ecosystems, emphasizing that while bacteria created the biosphere, conventional architecture often isolates humans from other species and the environment.

Christiansen humorously remarked that sometimes the best design ideas might come from a fish, underscoring the collective’s commitment to alternative viewpoints.

Superflex’s work under the research wing of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary foundation included the development of marine-adapted building blocks inspired by their Tonga expeditions.

These blocks, designed with curves and crevices, mirror the natural seascapes fish inhabit, aiming to support marine life displaced by rising seas and urban expansion.

At a Danish university campus, installations using these bricks create winding paths that encourage visitors to move in fluid, undulating patterns—inviting them to experience the environment more like aquatic creatures.

Christiansen described the projects as playful challenges to xenophobia and the feeling of helplessness many experience when confronting climate change.

Alice Sharp, founder of the climate awareness group Invisible Dust, praised Superflex’s seamless integration of art and science, noting that their collaborations with scientists have become a core part of the collective’s process.

Invisible Dust has commissioned Superflex and six other artists for site-specific installations on Climate Clock, a public art trail launching next year in Oulu, Finland, a city in the rapidly warming Arctic region and Europe’s 2026 Capital of Culture.

Established in 1993 by Christiansen, Jakob Fenger, and Rasmus Rosengren Nielsen, Superflex operates as a collective where individual ideas transform into shared visions, extending collaboration to scientists, architects, community members, children, and even non-human participants.

Their diverse body of work includes social pleas—such as a well-known pro-immigration poster urging tolerance—and interactive objects like three-person swings designed to foster cooperation.

In the widely exhibited 2009 video “Flooded McDonald’s,” a life-sized fast-food outlet is gradually submerged, symbolizing the role of multinational corporations in exacerbating climate change.

Christiansen highlights “Superkilen,” a half-mile-long wedge-shaped park in Copenhagen’s multicultural district, as a defining project. Created in partnership with local residents and architectural firms, the park challenges traditional hierarchies in public space design.

The park celebrates Copenhagen’s diversity, featuring emblems from over 50 nationalities, including a hill of soil transported from a Palestinian family’s olive groves, symbolizing cultural roots and community strength.

Christiansen notes that many visitors interact with “Superkilen” unaware of its artistic origins, illustrating how art can influence daily life subtly yet profoundly.

Superflex’s most ambitious ongoing project is “Super Reef,” an underwater architectural initiative spanning 21 square miles off Denmark’s coast. The reef aims to restore marine ecosystems damaged by decades of fishing and resource extraction, in partnership with environmental groups and local communities.

According to Christiansen, when artists engage in infrastructure projects like parks or reefs, they bring fresh perspectives that lead to innovative approaches in design and ecological restoration.

He explains that humans are motivated by stories and ideas, and artists are uniquely positioned to generate new narratives that inspire meaningful action.

Superflex’s collaborations with governments and civic organizations demonstrate the collective’s belief in the power of art to enact change from within existing systems.

Christiansen concludes with a call to action: regardless of one’s profession or role, every individual influences their surroundings and holds the capacity to contribute to transformative change.