Igshaan Adams' Weerhoud at ARoS is an exhibition that stays in the heart

Igshaan Adams may not be a name that means anything to most Danes yet. But that could very well change with his exhibition Weerhoud at ARoS. Here you get the opportunity to experience an artist who, with his woven works, delves into the big questions about life, relationships and identity. Through textiles, beads and threads, he weaves stories that speak to something deeply human.

Adams' works are both visually overwhelming and emotionally gripping. They invite you to come closer, not only physically, but also mentally, and let your mind wander between the small details and the big stories woven into his art. And with ARoS as a framework, the works have space to unfold to their fullest.

When the stories come close

On Thursday, January 16, we were invited to a special screening of Weerhoud. Curator Maria Kappel Blegvad took us into Adams' universe with a narrative approach that made the experience both vivid and present.

Adams himself also participated in the tour and supplemented it with small personal reflections. He talked about how found objects from his own home have been woven into the carpets, and how the works often arise as a process, a slow journey towards the finished expression.

The conversations between Adams and Blegvad opened up the deeper layers of the works and gave us a unique insight into the thoughts and feelings behind them. It was an experience where we as the audience were not just looking at the works, but were invited into a larger narrative.

A work that touched us all

Among the many works, Ameen (2018) is undoubtedly one of the most moving. It is a carpet that was woven to perfection, and which Adams has intentionally damaged afterwards, so that the visible scars remain as part of the expression of the work. The scars symbolize the relationship with his father, who was a very evil person, and their journey towards reconciliation. A process that has left traces, but also created strength.
In connection with the work Ameen, Adams also spoke about a performance in which he had his father bathe him, a gesture usually only performed when a person has died. For Adams, this became a necessity in order to heal his relationship with his father and achieve inner peace.

During the story about the work, it was clear how much it moved us. The photographer, a man just over 2 meters tall and busy capturing the good pictures, lowered the camera to listen to the story and I noticed a tear quietly falling down his cheek.

From the big works to the small details

When you enter the room, it is the large works that first catch your eye. They fill the rooms at ARoS and appear impressive in their scale. But it is when you get closer that the magic happens. Every thread, bead and chain seems to tell its own story.

A work like Weerhoud (2024) can almost feel like a cloud of memories and relationships. When you stand in front of it, you are drawn into the details. The many threads that intertwine and cross each other remind you of the people and events that have shaped your own life. Each bead and chain becomes a reminder that it is in the small, seemingly insignificant choices and encounters that life is truly woven together.

I stood in front of the work for a long time, following the individual threads with my eyes and thinking about the many relationships and experiences that have influenced me. Some memories felt warm and present, while others awakened a sense of loss or unexpected changes that had led me down new paths in life.

The work invites visitors to pause and reflect, not just on the big moments, but also on the small details that often go unnoticed, yet carry enormous significance. It is an experience that leaves a mark and one is left with a sense of calm and reflection.

A personal connection

Another work that made a big impression was Ouma (2016). It is a tribute to Adams' grandmother, a woman who, despite the many burdens of life, always took care of others. The heavy structure of the rug reflects her strength and the many roles she had. Adams explained how the work is also influenced by the colors she wore in everyday life, and how it represents her life and the respect people had for her, even though she often felt overlooked.
For me personally, it was a work that evoked memories of my own grandmother, a woman who also carried a lot, but always did so with an unwavering strength. It was a moment of recognition, where Adams's story and my own intertwined in an incredible way.

One of the last works in the exhibition, Remnant (2016) is created from materials, steel wire, sewing thread and pearl strings, that had been discarded. but which Adams had picked up from his studio floor instead of throwing away. He described the work as a shell that symbolizes a human body when the soul has left it. It is about the remains of something that continues to exist, and about how even that which we consider useless can be given new life and meaning.

An exhibition that stays with you

Adams' works invite you to contemplate and reflect on the threads that bind us together as humans. They remind us that even the wounds and fractures we carry with us can contain a form of beauty.

If you visit ARoS in the coming months, Weerhoud is an experience you shouldn't miss. It's an exhibition that provides space for reflection and contemplation and stays with you long after you've left the museum.

As one of Northern Europe's largest art museums The house holds countless stories. Read our in-depth articles about ARoS before you go.

Igshaan Adams – Weerhoud: 18 January 2025 – 3 August 2025

Focus – Level 5

ARoS presents the first major solo exhibition in the Nordic region by South African artist Igshaan Adams.

The exhibition invites you into Adams' sensual and poetic universe, where woven tapestries and sculptural dust clouds made from materials such as pearls, seashells, rope, silk and silver chains create a unique experience.

The exhibition features works from 2014 to the present, including one of Adams' largest dust cloud installations, titled Weerhoud. The word comes from Afrikaans and means “withheld” in Danish.