Hyundai Commission Maret Anne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil

Tate Modern unveils a monumental new sculptural installation by Sami artist Maaret Anne Sara. Sara makes sculptures and installations from materials which surround and sustain her community in Sapmi, the territory of the Indigenous Sami people spanning Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. For her first major work in the UK, the artist draws on her lived experience as member of a reindeer herding family to highlight ecological issues impacting Sámi life. Combining hides and bones derived from traditional reindeer herding practices with wood, industrial materials, sound and scent, Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil is an immersive work honouring the reciprocal relationship between the Sámi people, the reindeer, and the land. Responding to the history of Tate Modern’s site as a former oil and coal power station, Sara invites visitors to embrace an alternative vision of power as a sacred life force, rooted in Earth’s interconnected systems and guided by the principles of Indigenous science. Her installation marks the 10th annual Hyundai Commission, made possible by the significant partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor.

A multi-layered sculpture comprising reindeer hides tightly bound by electrical power cables stretches the full 28 metre height of the Turbine Hall. Created as a monument to honour the reindeer and acknowledge lives lost due to climate change, the title Goavve- refers to a worsening environmental condition caused by extreme temperature fluctuations, in which rain and melted snow freeze into layers of ice on the land’s surface, preventing animals from accessing food sources below. The cables represent the continued extraction of resources from Sápmi through mining and energy developments, leading to the destruction of ecosystems, the displacement of animals and people, and the erosion of cultural practices. The hides symbolise the enduring power that flows from ancestral traditions, embodying the strength, knowledge and spiritual connections passed down through generations. Goavve- serves as a powerful reminder of the interdependence of all living beings and the importance of fostering balance in our shared world.

At the east end of the Turbine Hall, visitors can move through a maze-like structure based on the anatomy of the reindeer nose, an organ which can heat air by 80°C in under a second. Titled -Geabbil, visitors are invited to attune themselves to the energy and ancestral knowledge that courses through the winding passages. The walls of the installation are constructed from wooden poles carved with reindeer earmarks, distinct patterns that are passed down by generations of Sámi people to distinguish their herds and indicate their lifelong commitment to safeguarding the animals and their environment. As part of the traditional Sámi practice of duodji, hides and bones are integrated into the walls, giving new life to parts of the reindeer not used for food or clothing. This ensures that nothing is wasted, serving as a gesture of gratitude and respect to the reindeer.

Sara’s materials are infused with scent, a significant aspect of non-verbal communication between lifeforms. These range from the smell of ‘fear’ released by the reindeer in moments of stress or danger as a warning to the herd, to the smell of ‘hope’ carried by native plants in Sápmi such as lichen and shoegrass, evoking possibility and renewal. A soundscape fills the Turbine Hall, comprised of environmental recordings from the Sápmi landscape and the Sámi musical practice, joik, alongside oral knowledge shared by elders from Sara’s community. Sámi science encompasses practices and knowledge systems, developed through direct experience and interaction with the land, waters, and ecosystems in Sápmi. Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil offers a space to consider the possibilities offered by Sámi science and worldviews in the growing ecological crisis, deepening our connection to and protection of the living world for future generations.

The annual Hyundai Commission is made possible by the long-term partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor, now confirmed until 2036. The partnership, recently extended for another decade, was founded in 2014 with the longest initial commitment from a corporate partner in Tate’s history, and encompasses support of both the Hyundai Commission and the Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational. Attracting over 19 million visitors since it began, the Hyundai Commission gives artists the chance to interpret the vast industrial space of Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, producing some of the most bold and memorable artworks of the past decade – from Kara Walker’s spectacular fountain to Anicka Yi’s floating artificial lifeforms.

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Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil is in partnership with Hyundai Motor. It is supported by Máret Ánne Sara Supporters, with additional support from The Máret Ánne Sara Supporters Circle and Tate Americas Foundation. The commission is curated by Helen O’Malley, Curator, International Art (Community and Participation) and Hannah Gorlizki, Exhibition Assistant, and produced by Nancy Cooper, Production Manager, Commissions and Amelia Francis, Production Coordinator.

Listings information

Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil
14 October 2025 – 6 April 2026
Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG
Open daily 10.00–18.00, and until 21:00 every Friday and Saturday
Admission free
Follow @Tate
More information at tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

About Máret Ánne Sara
Máret Ánne Sara (b.1983) is an artist and author based in Guovdageaidnu, Sápmi. Her work has featured in several solo and group exhibitions including presentations at the Northern Arts Festival, Harstad, Norway (2025); Norway Sámi Centre for Contemporary Art, Karasjok, Norway (2024); Emerson Dorsch, Miami, USA (2023); the 59th Biennale di Venezia, Venice (2022) and Documenta 14, Kassel (2017). Recent commissions include Háhčešeatni doali dádjadit and Čitna báffa (2025) for the Northern Arts Festival and Gapmu (2024) scene carpet for the Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš. She was nominated for the Nordic Council’s Children’s and Young Literature Prize for her debut book “Ilmmid gaskkas” in 2014. She is the founder of the Dáiddadállu Artist Collective, a network for Sámi artists in Guovdageaidnu.

About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies. More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai

About Hyundai Motor’s Art Projects
For over a decade, Hyundai Motor Company has deepened its partnerships with museums and cultural organizations worldwide, including Tate, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Hyundai Translocal Series is a new partnership initiative that roots itself in fostering dialogues and collaborations among art institutions in Korea and across the globe. Hyundai Motor’s own art initiatives include open-call programs such as the VH AWARD, the Hyundai Blue Prize+, and Artlab Editorial, a digital platform dedicated to art writing by transnational voices. These ongoing collaborations embrace the complexities of the cultural landscape by exploring new ideas and perspectives within and beyond the art ecosystem. For further information, visit artlab.hyundai.com or follow @hyundai.artlab #HyundaiArtlab.

Related events

NANU-Sámi Arts International: Take-Over
Corner Bar, Tate Modern, 16 October 2025, 19.30-23.00, Free
Join NANU-Sámi Arts International, a new network of Sámi artists and musicians, for an evening of music and performance at The Corner.

Audio Description and Touch Tours
19 November, 17 December, 21 January, 18 February, 18 March, 11.00-12.00, Free
Blind and partially sighted visitors are invited to a tour of Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil led by members of Tate Modern’s Visitor Experience team.

Indigenous Futures: Embodied Knowledges
Tate Modern, 23 October 2025, 10.00-18.00, Free
Explore dynamic forms of knowledge transference with Indigenous artists and curators from Sápmi and Australia.
This event is organised by Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational in partnership with Hyundai Motor. It has been developed in collaboration with the Office of Contemporary Art Norway, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Artist Talk: Máret Ánne Sara
Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, 26 March 2026, 18.30-20.30, £15/£13 for Members
An opportunity to learn about Máret Ánne Sara’s unique art practice and explore her new site-specific work at Tate Modern.

Tate Modern Late
27 March 2026, 18:00-22:00, Free
Celebrate Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil with a free evening of DJs, workshops, film screenings and performances.

Related publications

Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara: Goavve-Geabbil
Published February 2026
Edited by Helen O’Malley
Showcasing Máret Ánne Sara’s extraordinary new Hyundai Commission for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, this book contains inspiring writing by the artist, Máret Ravdna Buljo, Gregory Cajete, Katya García Antón and Helen O’Malley.

The Turbine Hall: The first 10 years of the Hyundai Commission
Published March 2026
Designed by Mark Thomson
Limited run of 150
A limited edition publication and accompanying box set of 10 Hyundai Commission catalogues to celebrate the first decade of the Hyundai Commission and to look forward to the next 10 years. The publication features the voice of all 10 Hyundai Commission artists and contributions from past and present Tate directors and curators.