Nimis, Driftwood sculpture installation in Kullaberg Nature Reserve, Sweden

Nimis is a driftwood sculpture near Höganäs composed of several interconnected towers and chambers built directly against the rocks beneath the coastal cliffs. The construction uses wood washed ashore by the sea, assembled with nails into walkways, platforms, and tall scaffolds.

Lars Vilks started building in 1980 following a personal experience at sea and expanded the installation over several decades despite objections from authorities. The structure later changed ownership through symbolic donations to other artists.

The artist declared the wooden structure, along with a neighboring stone sculpture, the foundation of its own micronation that still attracts supporters from different countries. Visitors can spot messages and marks left by earlier guests on the wooden walls, engaging with the idea of art created without official permission.

The route to the sculpture starts at Himmelstorpsgården café and follows markers on stones and trees through sloping ground down to the coast. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and take extra care during wet weather, as the wooden construction can become slippery.

In 2000 the rhinoceros Nelson was buried inside Nimis. The work was sold to Joseph Beuys in 1984 and, after his death, passed to Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 1986. Vilks has said the Nimis and Arx projects will be wound up by 2030, when he considers himself too old to maintain them.