Nestled outside the city’s National Museum, Arch is the first iteration in a new series of public cultural exhibits that Brilliant Minds will support in Stockholm
Globally celebrated artist and activist Ai Weiwei has collaborated with Brilliant Minds on the launch of Arch, a new public artwork in Stockholm, Sweden, which was last seen in 2017 within New York’s iconic Washington Square Park monument.
Nestled outside the city’s National Museum, the piece is the first iteration in a new series of public cultural exhibits that Brilliant Minds will support in Stockholm over the next 5 years. Celebrating the power of public art as a catalyst for conversation, Arch creates an ode to freedom.
As one of Ai Weiwei’s most significant artworks, the piece has been created to engage the public and enrich connections with passers-by, creating a sense of community and encouraging local residents in Stockholm to find joy through the arts.
Established in 2015 by Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek, and entrepreneur Arash Pournouri, the early mission of Brilliant Minds was to spotlight the successful Swedish ‘tech ecosystem’ and showcase Swedish values of openness, transparency, equality, trust, and social responsibility to collaborate and create impact.
In 2018, the Brilliant Minds Foundation was formed, to support founders with transformative ideas to make the world more sustainable, creative, and inclusive. Brilliant Mind’s core gathering takes place every year in Stockholm, and brings together some of the world’s leading creative individuals.
Offering a collaborative platform for rising talent and championing the next generation of cutting-edge founders, past speakers have included President Obama, Naomi Campbell, Edward Enninful and Greta Thunberg.
This year, Arch will be unveiled during Brilliant Minds’ annual gathering in Stockholm. Confirmed speakers for this year’s gathering include Malala, Esther Perel, Alicia Keys, Gabriela Hearst, Ai Weiwei, Edward Norton, and Alexis Ohanian.
With its 40-foot-tall structure, perfected in polished stainless steel and reminiscent of a birdcage, Ai Weiwei, a refugee himself, created an ode to freedom – using the silhouette of intertwined human figures to represent the free passage of all populations, and appealing for a world without borders.
‘Now more than ever, as the world is spinning at its fastest and most challenging, we must broaden our minds, share our experiences, and work together to create a brighter future’, says Annastasia Seebohm, CEO of Brilliant Minds.
‘The aim of Brilliant Minds is to spark impassioned conversations, encourage questions, and seek answers, and the unveiling of Arch, and our new programme of public cultural exhibits, will ensure we continue the important conversation for change.’
Photography by Jean Lapin