Adrián Villar Rojas's "Poems for Earthlings" was a significant contemporary art exhibition held at Oude Kerk in 2019. This installation deeply questioned the human obsession with heritage, conservation, and material accumulation. It contrasted tangible artifacts with the abundance and intangibility of sound, inviting visitors to reflect on what we preserve.
Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for Poems for Earthlings at Oude Kerk in Amsterdam
Poems for Earthlings was an exhibition by Adrian Villar Rojas inspired by the protection of heritage during wartime, exploring the difference between tangible and intangible heritage through an eight-hour soundscape. The temporary installation questioned the sustainability of heritage institutions in a global context.
Adrián Villar Rojas's installation 'Poems for Earthlings' delved into the human obsession with heritage, conservation, and material accumulation by contrasting it with the intangibility and abundance of sound. Inspired by the protection of heritage during wartime, the exhibition featured an eight-hour soundscape incorporating sounds from the history of the world, including dying languages and technological noises. The work highlighted the disparity in how material heritage, such as buildings and art, is treated versus intangible heritage like sounds and languages. Villar Rojas's onsite development was temporary and transient, leaving no tangible remnants, which contrasted with the unwritten rules of the art market. This approach underscored his own transience and the risk of oblivion, showing what is doomed to disappear and what cannot or should not be preserved. The exhibition posed a radical question about the sustainability of heritage, museums, and collecting institutions, particularly in relation to dominant Western definitions of the world. Villar Rojas stated that the Oude Kerk served as an exploration stage for analyzing human obsession with heritage, conservation, and material accumulation, leveraging the metaphor of sound. He aimed to prompt introspection through a metaphorical history of sound, focusing on negativity, absence, and loss regardless of the tangible or intangible nature of the subject matter. The artist sought to trigger reflection and emotion, presenting a unique perspective on what constitutes heritage and how it is valued and preserved.
Ticketing information for visits to the Oude Kerk, including this exhibition, can be found via the provided 'Tickets' link. Visitors are directed to official booking details.
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