Markus Lantto:
Reven tenkjer ikkje på Gud

Starting from the question “How do I create a general sacred form?”, Lantto investigates which architectural and symbolic strategies prompt us to lift our gaze, lower our voices, and experience a sense of calm, wonder, or hope. The monumentality of churches, their ornamented interiors, and hierarchical structures form a backdrop for a broader reflection on power, faith, and cultural imprint. How can certain spatial and aesthetic experiences trigger something resembling belief—even in those who do not consider themselves religious?

“I think about the power relations that arise when one enters a church environment (…) We are Christians whether we want to be or not; we are just not believers. Except for those of us who are, of course.”

In the exhibition space, Lantto constructs a site-specific sculptural ceiling made of ornamental beams, establishing an architectural space within the space. Inspired by religious buildings from various traditions, the structure invites the viewer into a mythological and spiritual universe. It is a sacred ceiling that does not belong to any one religion, yet still carries resonance and recognisable signs of something greater.

The exhibition consists of several installations and sculptures in wood, as well as embroidery and a poetic sound work. The artworks reflect on how we understand and experience sacred symbols today. Lantto approaches the material with both precision and curiosity, balancing respect and distance with an awareness of the comic potential that can arise when cultural heritage and the contemporary collide.

With curiosity, scepticism, and warmth, «Reven tenkjer ikkje på Gud» (The Fox Does Not Think About God) opens a space for reflection on faith, doubt, and cultural inheritance—and on how we continue to seek meaning in symbols that may seem distant, yet are deeply rooted within us.