Elena Damiani - Astrolabe
Public Commission
Bryggan Square, Vega, Haninge, Sweden
Inaugurated on April 23, 2026
Astrolabe, a permanent public by Elena Damiani, unveiled on April 23, 2026, at Bryggan Square in Vega, Haninge, Sweden. Commissioned by Stena Fastigheter and formally handed over to Haninge Municipality, the work marked the opening of the newly developed public square.
Conceived specifically for Bryggan Square, Astrolabe draws on the visual language of cartography, astronomy, and historical navigational instruments. Inspired by astrolabes, sundials, and surveying tools, the installation reflects on humanity's enduring desire to orient itself in relation to the Earth, the sky, and one another. Its sculptural elements are arranged across the square like a constellation, inviting visitors to move through the work while revealing shifting relationships between bodies, objects, distance, and perspective.
Designed as a permanent installation, Astrolabe transforms the square into a geometric landscape that can be experienced both from the ground and from above, encouraging encounter, contemplation, and collective use. The work establishes a distinct identity for Bryggan Square while embedding art within the everyday life of the Vega community.
Elena Damiani (b. 1979, Lima, Peru) works across sculpture, installation, and works on paper. Her practice investigates geology, cartography, archaeology, and astronomy, examining how systems of knowledge and natural processes shape our understanding of the world. Through these references, her work reflects on geological time, transformation, and the ways we measure and interpret our physical environment.
Damiani lives and works in Lima. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale and the Gwangju Biennale, as well as at the Museum of Modern Art, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Museo Amparo, and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.
