Witches

The acclaimed exhibition WITCHES makes its West Sweden debut this autumn. In the year of Our Lord 1668, Satan’s fury is unleashed in Sweden. Suddenly, women are accused of witchcraft and consorting with the Devil. The King sends out a witchcraft commission with the authority to impose the death penalty. The verdicts begin to fall—and become the spark that sets the witch fires blazing across the country. “The Great Noise” has begun. Before it falls silent, the axe and the flames will have claimed nearly 300 women’s lives.

An experience where scenography and history interact

WITCHES is an exhibition for all the senses, portraying real events and lives in the wake of the witch trials. Here you will encounter the women accused of witchcraft in Sweden during the 17th century, and the children who testified against them. Gossip in the cottages becomes accepted as truth, leading to fatal consequences. This visual, atmospheric exhibition was created by artist Pompe Hedengren and set designer Erik Gullberg. Real events are brought to life using AI as an artistic device. The women and their executioners take shape. We can glimpse what they looked like and who they were.

History teacher and presenter Cecilia Düringer, from the P3 Historia podcast, wrote the text. WITCHES is the first historical exhibition in Sweden to have been created in part with the help of AI. It has attracted large audiences and has been shown at, among other places, the Swedish History Museum, Kalmar Castle and Örebro Castle. This is the first time it is being shown in West Sweden. The main image is AI-generated.