As a result, humanity often seems to stand above nature and it is used as if it were our natural right. But more and more often nature turns out to be beyond human control; extreme drought, heat waves, forest fires, floods and hurricanes are sweeping the earth.
Everything Under Control
Artists
- Sarah Fokke
- Neža Kokol
- Ben Maier
- Bora Şekerci
Curator
- Marissa Karl Karlas
Graphic Design
- Amber Meekel
- Vita Kiewiet de Jonge
On show from 16.09.2022 to 15.10.2022Do humans have the right to control all things non-human? And besides that, can humanity really control nature? Is it ok that we use that power?
The hands in the installation are a visualization of our watery bodies, consisting of algae biomaterial, locally collected water and other locally foraged natural materials. The substance of the algae biomaterial resembles water, captured in the solid form of her hands. Slowly but surely the material will decay, the water will get cloudy and the hand will rise in the water, moved by the small air bubbles formed by the rotting process.
When their time has come, the hands will be returned to nature, where they can dissolve and melt back into the earth.
Humans have rights, but an animal, ocean or a stone hardly or not at all, who makes these rules?
“As a kid I built castles with soil. Equipped with bright yellow rainboots on still too tiny feet I crossed sand piles, exploring the elements underneath me. Every now and then I would tear an earthworm apart. Roaming on the land was my favourite adventure.”In southwest Germany, the most valuable resource lies underground. The natural deposits, mostly stones and sand, show suitable qualities for concrete production. This attracts mining companies that see value in the soil: Concrete is a high economic demand. Extractivism – the extraction of these resources - is divisive because it lies at the crossroads of economic development and environmental protection. The needs of our society dictate the destruction of our landscapes: Extractivism becomes necessity.
Ben Maier (1989) frames his photographic practice as visual economist. After working in several internationally acclaimed advertisement agencies as information architect, he turned towards the arts. Through his experiences, he can understand economic coherences and nefarious aspects of neoliberalism. In 2022, Maier completed a Bachelor study in photography at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague.
Maier has been scouted by Amsterdam based Gallerie Ron Mandos for the annual famous Best of Graduates show where the work of the most promising young artists based in the Netherlands are brought together.
Don't people just like to feel in control so they can pretend they have everything under control?
TROEF wants to draw attention to the relationships and boundaries between man and nature. In the exhibition 'Everything Under Control', four artists show different forms of control.
This ever-changing process thus encourages wat Cortázar calles a ‘catalyst of confused and badly understood notions’: through the use of fragments, more viewpoints are created, enriching the number of possibilities of understanding, giving space to be misunderstood, questioned and redefined.
Neža Kokol (1998) is a Slovenian writer, photographer, and spatial designer currently based in Amsterdam.
Which makes you wonder whether we should try to keep things in control that are actually out of our control.
Everything under control was on show from 16.09.2022 to 15.10.2022. Many gratitudes to the artists for being part of this exhibition.