Christy Dokbua An artist has now been selected
The University of Copenhagen and Medical Museion are commissioning a statue of Nielsine Nielsen.The statue will be created by visual artist Sian Kristoffersen and will mark the 150th anniversary of women gaining access to the university. Supported by the Danish Arts Foundation, the statue will be installed at Medical Museion, formerly the Faculty of Medicine, where Nielsine Nielsen studied.
Promoting Gender Equality at the University
The statue will honour Nielsine Nielsen as a pioneer who paved the way for women in higher education. It will also serve as a lasting tribute to Nielsine Nielsen’s legacy, inspiring future generations of students and researchers, as well as visitors to the university regardless of gender, background and accessability. The new sculpture will comprise several elements: a statue of Nielsine Nielsen, a tableau reflecting her life and work, and additional sculptural elements of a more symbolic nature. The sculpture will be cast in bronze, with its individual elements installed at selected locations throughout Medical Museion.
Giving a Historical Pioneer a New Physical Form
Sian Kristoffersen’s artistic practice is poetic and explores the connections between people, objects and places. Her works take the form of tableaux in which different materials come together in narratives inspired by literature, film, mysticism and processes of transformation. Her work brings classical forms into dialogue with contemporary imagery, creating open-ended, emotionally charged narratives that invite viewers into a space between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
“I am very proud and honoured to have the opportunity to create a permanent work that will mean something both to people today and to future generations in how they understand the history of Nielsine Nielsen. At the same time, it is a tremendous challenge, because there is something particularly meaningful about giving a historical figure, the first female doctor and academic, a physical form right here at Medical Museion. What form should she take? How should the work inhabit the space? How can the tradition of sculpture be challenged, and should it be challenged at all? If not, how can its classical qualities be reworked so that they still feel fresh and contemporary? And what about the likeness: what age should she appear to be, what expression should she have, and what mood should the work convey? There are so many questions to explore throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing to develop the project.”
– Sian Kristoffersen, Visual Artist
Portraiture, Symbolism and Historical References
Sian Kristoffersen was selected following a sketch competition involving several artists. The steering committee placed particular emphasis on the recognisability of the portrait and the interplay between classical and contemporary sculptural traditions. The proposed location in the museum’s entrance area was also highlighted, as it creates a welcoming and engaging arrival experience. The proposal brings together symbolic references to Nielsine Nielsen’s life and work, inviting viewers to interpret the sculpture in their own way and reflect on its meaning.
“Sian Kristoffersen presented a design in which Nielsine Nielsen is clearly recognisable. The steering committee placed great importance on this, as we want to increase the visibility of women who have shaped science and society and give them the recognition they deserve.
By choosing bronze, the statue draws on the classical tradition of portraiture while interpreting it in a compelling and distinctly contemporary way.”
– Anne-Sofie Stampe, Curator, Medical Museion, University of Copenhagen
About Sian Kristoffersen
Sian Kristoffersen graduated from the Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2007. Her work has previously been exhibited at Den Frie, Tranen, Vejle Art Museum, Viborg Kunsthal and Nikolaj Kunsthal, among other venues. Sian Kristoffersen’s works are held in collections including those of the Danish Arts Foundation, the New Carlsberg Foundation and Vejle Art Museum. She is an associate professor of spatial practices at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and serves on the board of VAK – Vestsjælland’s Working Art Studios.
About Nielsine Nielsen
Nielsine Nielsen (1850–1916) grew up in Svendborg and aspired to become a doctor, a profession that was reserved for men in Denmark at the time. Despite opposition from doctors and professors, she fought her way through the education system. In 1875, her application to enrol in medical studies at the University of Copenhagen was approved, allowing her to sit the university entrance examination and subsequently pursue medical studies. Her achievement paved the way for women in academia, and in 1885 she became Denmark’s first female doctor.
Read more about Nielsine Nielsen’s story: Nielsine Nielsen – University of Copenhagen
With Thanks for the Support
The University of Copenhagen and Medical Museion have received a grant of DKK 900,000 from the Danish Arts Foundation to create a statue of Nielsine Nielsen. The project is being developed in collaboration with a steering committee comprising representatives from the Danish Arts Foundation, the University of Copenhagen and Medical Museion. The sculpture will become part of the University of Copenhagen’s art collection and is expected to be completed in early 2027.
About Medical Museion
Medical Museion is a museum dedicated to the culture and history of medicine. It is part of the Department of Public Health and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) at the University of Copenhagen.
Contact:
Anne-Sofie Stampe, Curator, Medical Museion, University of Copenhagen, annesofie.stampe@sund.ku.dk, 3533 0241
Julie W. Tovgaard, Press coordinator, Medical Museion, University of Copenhagen, Julie.tovgaard@sund.ku.dk, 5189 5258
