Installations

State of words

What will you experience in the State? Where words go to play — or misbehave.Immersive, experimental spaces that twist meaning and break form. Come read. Come feel. Come have a good time.

  • The State

    • Word Bank

      Magnetic words with magnetic meaning scattered across whiteboard blocks.

      Words hold value. Some are priceless.
      Here, you’ll find plenty — yours to piece together, rearrange, rethink.
      Create sentences, rewrite truths, coin new phrases.
      What you say here is yours — but it might become someone else’s meaning tomorrow.

    • Hang On to Meaning

      Hand-printed pieces of fabric hanging from the ceiling.

      What are you holding on to?
      This installation invites you to pause and reflect.
      Fleeting words — suspended like thoughts we haven’t quite let go of. Some heavy. Some light.
      Walk among them. Let them brush against you. Hang on, or perhaps, let go.

    • Word Search

      Like a regular word search — but way larger.

      We’re always searching for something. Here, it’s hidden in plain sight.
      Find substance — word by word. Because not all meaning is immediately visible. Some of it must be found.

    • Word Block

      Large-scale plywood letters.

      Sit down on a monumental word. A literal structure.
      Ponder on your words. Or someone else’s.
      Take a load off, but don’t lose the weight of what you’re carrying.

    • Souvenir Shop

      Yup, it’s exactly what you think it is.

      Your chance to take a piece of the State home with you.
      Pick up limited-edition merch and memorabilia from the place where words were set free.
      Because meaning shouldn’t be left behind.

  • The Underground

    • Echo Chamber

      You guessed it. It’s a karaoke room.

      Step into a room without judgment. Just feedback.
      This is a space to say the words out loud. Say them wrong. But most importantly, sing them like you mean them.

    • Serve Meaning

      A classic game of table tennis (or Ping-Pong, we’re not exactly in agreement about it).

      Play around. Serve a point. Score.
      This isn’t just a game — it’s meaning in motion.
      Bounce between interpretations. Ping-pong ideas. Spin it. Return with intent.

    • Whispering Walls

      A projection of words we project.

      Do we always mean the words we say? Or does truth live beneath them?
      This room splits meaning in two — what you read, and what you hear. One thing will show. Another will tell. Which version do you believe?

    • Lost & Found

      A collaborative word chain on lines of meaning.

      A living installation of language in flux.
      Here, words hang in the balance — clipped to lines, waiting to be reinterpreted.
      Read what’s been left behind. Rearrange it. Rewrite it.
      Begin with a phrase, a memory, a piece of slang — and let others carry it forward, one word at a time.
      Because what’s forgotten by one, might be transformed by someone else.

    • Declare Yourself

      Public restroom meets public discourse.

      This is a designated space for voices that want to reach across lines.
      Point your pen toward your point of truth. Ink your thoughts. Shape your feelings.
      Write the phrase that lingers — or something you simply wish to wash away.

    • Subtext Line

      An undercurrent of meaning. A trail of what’s unsaid.

      Hop on the subtext line. Stick with it.
      This long, winding line is travelling across the underground — revealing what lies beneath what we say. Read closely. Feel the gaps. Let meaning shift as you move.

Our sponsors

Speak Mindfully, Sip Responsibly

Words carry weight – so do our choices. At the State of Words, we encourage conscious communication and conscious consumption. Beverage sales are restricted to guests over 18, and a range of non-alcoholic options will be available – because every participant should feel welcome in the conversation. For more on responsible alcohol habits, visit IQ.se.

We’re excited to let you know that an upcoming event at Berghs will be both photographed and filmed. The content captured will be used for communication and marketing purposes across our channels. If you prefer not to appear in any footage or images, please let a member of our team know on-site. Thank you for helping us share the energy and creativity of Berghs with the world!