RECAST – 13 Contemporary Artists Challenge UCPH’s Monument Tradition

From 28 August to 29 November 2025, the University of Copenhagen presents RECAST, a major group exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of women’s admission to the university.

The exhibition interrogates the institution’s long tradition of using art to shape its history. The university’s collection includes more than 130 portrait busts—almost all commemorating white, male scientists. With RECAST, thirteen contemporary artists are invited to reimagine and disrupt this monument tradition, questioning how societies choose whom to honor and remember.

Several of the university’s historical busts have been relocated to the University Library, where they are placed in dialogue with new works.

Each artist occupies a reading room niche, creating interventions across media and scale that “hack” the historic architecture and open new perspectives on research, memory, and knowledge exchange within the old library.

RECAST is more than a commemoration of a historic milestone. It is an invitation to imagine a different future for the university and for society—one in which knowledge is generated through multiple voices, collaboration, and recognition of the body as a sensing, thinking, and inclusive part of knowledge production.

Alongside the exhibition, the public is invited to engage in a program of artist talks, performances, and interdisciplinary conversations.

The exhibition is curated by Amalie Skovmøller, Ida Højgaard Thjømøe, and Mathias Danbolt and forms part of the University of Copenhagen’s 150th anniversary program: kvinder150.ku.dk.

RECAST is part of the Moving Monuments research project, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and generously supported by the New Carlsberg Foundation, the 15. Juni Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation, the Danish Arts Foundation, the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation, and Knud Højgård’s Foundation.

Event Program

28 August, 17:00–19:00 – Exhibition opening with speeches by Prorector Kristian Lauta and the curators. Performance by Noah Umur Kanber and Ida Kvetny.

2 September, 17:00–18:00 – Artist talk with Ida Kvetny and Elisabeth Toubro, moderated by Amalie Skovmøller.

9 September, 17:00–18:00 – Artist talk with Maria Nørholm Ramouk and Noah Umur Kanber, moderated by Amalie Skovmøller.

16 September, 17:00–18:00 – Artist talk with Henriette Heise and Anne-Mette Schultz, moderated by Mathias Danbolt.

23 September, 17:00–18:00 – Artist talk with Lea Guldditte Hestelund and Nanna Debois Buhl, moderated by Mathias Danbolt.

30 September, 17:00–18:00 – Artist talk with Jeannette Ehlers and Lea Porsager, moderated by Ida Højgaard Thjømøe.

1 October, 17:00–18:00 – Curator’s tour with Ida Højgaard Thjømøe.

7 October, 17:00–19:00 – Public Bust Retirement Index – performance and tribunal by benandsebastian.

8 October, 17:00–18:00 – Curator’s tour with Ida Højgaard Thjømøe.

25 October, 13:00–14:00 – Curator’s tour with Ida Højgaard Thjømøe.

18 November – Lea Porsager book launch.

29 November – Finissage and artist talk with benandsebastian and Jóhan Martin Christiansen, moderated by Mathias Danbolt.