Hidden beneath the hustle and bustle of Hötorget lies ANDETAG, a breathtaking 200 m² art experience that transforms the subway station into a sanctuary of light, colour, sound, and calm. Created by the artist duo Malin and Gustaf Tadaa, this immersive exhibition invites visitors to pause, breathe, and reconnect – with themselves and with one another.
The Swedish word ANDETAG means “breath,” but split in two – ande-tag – it also translates to “spirit-take.” And that’s precisely what this installation embodies: a space where breath and spirit become one, where art and technology merge into a living, breathing organism beneath the city.
A Living Labyrinth of Light and Sound
As you descend into the underground installation, you enter a labyrinth of softly lit rooms wrapped in organic textures and glowing sculptures. The artworks are made from a custom-developed textile that weaves optical fibres with traditional materials, creating over 50 kaleidoscopic, textile-based sculptures that shimmer from within.
Each piece pulses gently in rhythm with Malin’s recorded breathing, captured during her meditation practice. Her breath – an integral part of her breast cancer recovery –was transformed into data by Gustaf, who used a patented coding system to synchronise hundreds of tiny LEDs within the fabric. The light’s intensity, shape, and colour shift with each inhale and exhale, ensuring that no two moments of ANDETAG are ever the same.
The result is a visual symphony that mirrors the most fundamental rhythm of life itself – breathing.
The Art of Breathing
The soundscape of ANDETAG, composed by Povel Olsson (who has worked with Veronica Maggio and Robyn), intertwines music with recordings of Malin’s breath and everyday ambient sounds – church bells, train stations, distant footsteps – recorded from the places that hold a special place in the hearts of Malin and Gustaf. These sounds make the illuminated artworks appear to respond as if alive, pulsating in harmony with the rhythm of the audio.
Visitors are invited not only to observe but to breathe with the artworks. Each installation is connected via the internet and synchronised with other ANDETAG artworks around the world, lighting up in unison as part of a global, collective breath.
It’s a poetic and profoundly human idea – that even as we stand apart, we can share the same invisible rhythm of life.
The Power of Light and Spirit
Malin’s use of flexible yet resilient fibre optics allows her to sculpt delicate, organic forms – almost like living beings. Every sculpture seems to hold a memory, emotion, or reflection. Some visitors see childhood heroes, others sea creatures, galaxies, or abstract shapes that shift with perspective.
The entire light and sound experience lasts about 90 minutes, yet because the rhythm of breathing constantly changes and the combinations of light and colour never repeat, you can spend hours contemplating the exhibition and the show will never repeat itself. Many visitors describe the experience as transformative – like being inside the womb, diving deep underwater, floating in space, or meditating in a cocoon of warmth and light.
No matter how they interpret it, one feeling remains constant: everyone leaves lighter than they arrived. And that’s no small feat, considering the installation sits in the heart of one of Stockholm’s busiest districts.
A Personal Reflection
Standing inside ANDETAG feels like entering a sacred space – a place to remember the simplest and most profound act of being alive: to breathe. It’s humbling to realise that this shared rhythm unites all living beings. As you synchronise your breath with the light and sound, you can almost sense the spirit within – the spirit that breathes through us, connects us, and keeps us alive. And at the same time reflecting in the fact that everything is energy, so everything is light, a spirit that enlivens us like the light enliven the sculptures.
Visit ANDETAG
📍 Location: Hötorget Subway Station, Stockholm
🕒 Duration: Extended until April 2026
🧘♀️ Special sessions: Yoga and breathing sessions every Tuesday at 17:00
🔗 More info and tickets: andetag.museum/en
Whether you are an art lover, a seeker of calm, or simply someone in need of a mindful pause amid the city’s chaos, ANDETAG offers a truly unique experience – a reminder to slow down, to breathe, and to let the spirit in.
