The animals have settled in at Spritmuseum for this summer’s art exhibition Absolut Art Collection – The Wilder Side. On site are fluffy dogs, mythical marvels and metamorphoses between animal and human. Crawling, soaring, buzzing, purring and howling. The motives range from the polar regions to the tropics, following migratory birds, mother spiders and dancing starfish. All accompanied by Swedish vodka.

Artists from all over the world have interpreted the iconic Absolut bottle. They were given free hands with few restrictions, and surprisingly many looked to the animal kingdom – from worms in the earth to heavenly creatures. An exciting selection is now on display, such as Maurizio Cattelan’s hungover mouse, Louise Bourgeois’ spider, and Ed Ruscha’s howling wolf.

The design of the room is as far away imaginable from the stereotypical white cube. The art hangs on colorful walls and in a charming wooden shack, surrounded by odd animal cries as if in the swamps of Louisiana. Christian Sandell from Hangmen Studios is behind the design and construction of the exhibition together with Mia Sundberg and co-curator Kirsten Hinder from Nordic Stories.

The works in the Absolut Art Collection have formed the basis for global advertising campaigns. When the Swedish government sold its beverage company Vin & Sprit AB, including the Absolut Vodka brand, to French Pernod Ricard, it was established that the art collection was part of Sweden’s cultural inheritance and should not be included in the sale. Instead, it received a new home at Spritmuseum in 2008.