Might & Valour – The World of Christian V
MKJstudio did the exhibition design for Might & Valour (Magt & Mod) – an exhibition showing the world of Christian V through an great number of significant artifacts from his life. Christian V was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1670 to 1699. The exhibition is located in the Knights’ Hall at the 400 year-old castle in Copenhagen, Rosenborg Castle, which he himself used as a residence.
"Christian V had a more absolute role than kings in Denmark had ever had before. I found it interesting how power and the construction of hierarchical systems materialized and was staged at the time. The objects that surrounded Christian V were so clearly used to tell a story of power and wealth. For example he had giant tapestries made from the scanian war to show his success – even though Denmark lost the war. It was also said that the throne chair used for his anointment was made of unicorn horn, but actually it was made of narwhal tusk. I took some of these shapes and objects, enhanced and distorted them to underline the thinking of his time and of his fascinating character in the exhibition design.
The Knight’s Hall is in itself a powerful room with a lot of decorations and practical restrictions. Working with the room’s axis and symmetry, I wanted to define spaces within the room to separate the themes of the exhibition and to create some calm spots for the eye to rest. I decided to work along with the colors already represented in the room to create a somewhat monochrome experience in tones of red, to create an elevated and royal atmosphere in the otherwise dark exhibition space."
Mette Karina Johansen
Year: 2020
Client: Kongernes Samling / The Royal Danish Collection
Location: Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen
Services: Exhibition design
Graphic Design: Julie Kongsted Voss
Photographs: @Stine Bundgaard
Might & Valour – The World of Christian V
MKJstudio did the exhibition design for Might & Valour (Magt & Mod) – an exhibition showing the world of Christian V through an great number of significant artifacts from his life. Christian V was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1670 to 1699. The exhibition is located in the Knights’ Hall at the 400 year-old castle in Copenhagen, Rosenborg Castle, which he himself used as a residence.
"Christian V had a more absolute role than kings in Denmark had ever had before. I found it interesting how power and the construction of hierarchical systems materialized and was staged at the time. The objects that surrounded Christian V were so clearly used to tell a story of power and wealth. For example he had giant tapestries made from the scanian war to show his success – even though Denmark lost the war. It was also said that the throne chair used for his anointment was made of unicorn horn, but actually it was made of narwhal tusk. I took some of these shapes and objects, enhanced and distorted them to underline the thinking of his time and of his fascinating character in the exhibition design.
The Knight’s Hall is in itself a powerful room with a lot of decorations and practical restrictions. Working with the room’s axis and symmetry, I wanted to define spaces within the room to separate the themes of the exhibition and to create some calm spots for the eye to rest. I decided to work along with the colors already represented in the room to create a somewhat monochrome experience in tones of red, to create an elevated and royal atmosphere in the otherwise dark exhibition space."
Mette Karina Johansen
Year: 2020
Client: Kongernes Samling / The Royal Danish Collection
Location: Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen
Services: Exhibition design
Graphic Design: Julie Kongsted Voss
Photographs: @Stine Bundgaard