Jakob Kudsk Steensen is a Danish-born artist who is globally recognized for his works of ‘ecological storytelling,’ which are virtual explorations of nature and psychology. Based on in-depth fieldwork that often takes extensive periods of time to complete, Steensen’s artworks are meticulously forged through collaborations with musicians, biologists, academics, and scientists, and experimenting with simulation-based technologies (e.g. game engines, VR, spatial audio).

Key collaborators include the singer ARCA, the musical director of Phillip Glass Ensemble, Michael Riesman, and the South Korean band BTS. Jakob has exhibited at Luma Arles, Serpentine Galleries, Halle am Berghain, ARoS Museum of Art, Phi Center, Venice Biennale, and more.  

Catharsis, 2019 
Three-channel 2D cinematic video, color, sound, 12 min.

Catharsis (2019) is one of his best-known creations: a virtual world depicting the beauty of old-growth California redwood forests, untainted by human hands, and constructed with American sound artist Matt McCorkle using photogrammetry techniques.

Grounded in a philosophy of “slow media,” Steensen believes slower consumption of digitally born content can induce greater reflection upon our contemporary reality, Catharsis prompting audiences to reflect on an impossible scenario through accelerated time and space, the redwood forest presented is not possible to experience outside of the virtual simulation he has produced.