Juju Bento: Muted Whispers of a Heart Murmur
24 January – 1 March 2026
Opening January 24th 13-16pm
In the solo exhibition Muted Whispers of a Heart Murmur Juju Bento delves into human fragility by listening to the heartbeat, its sound, pauses and rhythm. The exhibition takes its starting point in Auscultation of the Heart, a 1960s vinyl collection produced by the American biopharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme, in which various heart sounds were documented for medical education. This historical material forms the basis for three spatial environments, with and without sound, that open up a conversation about vulnerability.
Using sculpture, light and sound, Bento reshapes the original recordings and places their scientific and educational function in an artistic context. She focuses on rhythms that fall out of sync: errors, disturbances and interruptions, and how these bodily events are experienced and interpreted in the context of grief.
By touching on various heart sounds, valve-related changes, murmurs and arrhythmias, the heart is presented both as a biological organ and as a symbolic container for human emotions and existence. The exhibition, which is adapted to the character of Krognoshuset, dwells on the delicate but vital movement of the heart. Bento invites the visitor to pay attention to and recognize the vulnerability that exists in every rhythm.
Juju Bento, born in 1999 in Abrantes, Portugal, is a multidisciplinary artist active in Sweden, Denmark and Portugal. She holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts from Malmö University of Fine Arts (2022–2024) and a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Caldas da Rainha (2018–2021), as well as a previous specialization in ceramics at António Arroio in Lisbon. Bento has exhibited at Inter Arts Center in Malmö and Espaço Llansol in Lisbon and has upcoming exhibitions at Galleri Box in Gothenburg and OSSO Associação in Portugal, among others. Her work has also been shown at Skissernas Museum in Lund, CAPC in Coimbra, Portugal, and FABRIKKEN for Kunst og Design in Copenhagen. Juju Bento has received several scholarships, including from the Swedish Arts Council, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fundação Millennium Bcp and the Danish Arts Foundation. She has also participated in various residency programs, including MACRO Residency at OSSO in Portugal, Imagined Site at Kilpisjärvi Biological Research Station in Finland, and Studio Program at FABRIKKEN in Denmark.
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Expanding the subtle act of listening to heartbeats, the solo exhibition Muted Whispers of a Heart Murmur turns its focus to the fragility of human rhythm. Drawing inspiration from a 1960s vinyl collection titled Auscultation of the Heart, recorded by the American biopharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme, the exhibition unfolds across three sound and non-sound ambiences for dialogue with vulnerability.
Engaged with forms of sculpture, light, and sound, Juju Bento recontextualises these records with an educational, scientific approach within her artistic practice. She investigates failures, irregularities, and disruptions of a rhythm and how they are perceived in the context of grief.
Covering topics like different heart sounds, valve lesions, murmurs, and arrhythmias, the heart is presented as both a biological organ and a symbolic vessel of human emotion and existence. This site-sensitive exhibition reflects on the delicacy and necessity of the heart's movement. The artist invites individuals to perceive fragilities.
Juju Bento, born in 1999 in Abrantes, Portugal, is a multidisciplinary artist working between Sweden, Denmark, and Portugal. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Malmö Art Academy (2022–2024) and a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Caldas da Rainha (2018–2021), with an earlier specialization in ceramics at António Arroio in Lisbon. Bento has exhibited at Inter Arts Center in Malmö and Espaço Llansol in Lisbon, and has upcoming exhibitions at venues such as Galleri Box in Gothenburg and OSSO Associação in Portugal. Her work has also been shown at Skissernas Museum in Lund, CAPC in Coimbra, Portugal, and FABRIKKEN for Kunst og Design in Copenhagen, among others. She has received several grants, including from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fundação Millennium Bcp, and the Danish Arts Foundation. Bento has participated in various residency programs, such as MACRO Residency at OSSO in Portugal, Imagined Site at Kilpisjärvi Biological Research Station in Finland, and the Studio Program at FABRIKKEN in Denmark.
Availability: information see website
Krognoshuset is run with the support of Lund Municipality and the Culture Council