The Matter We Share
Research based performance
Designer-researchers Giulia Pompilj and Steffie de Gaetano expose, through colourful beyond-human signs, the traces of heavy metal contamination of the Dommel river, denouncing human’s abuse over nature.
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Our research practices converge at the crossroad of plant, pigments, photo, polluted and fibrous matter. Stemming from previous work on permeable tissues that are exposed to anthropogenically accelerated cycles and interrupted metabolic fluxes, we set into motion an ephemeral, ever-changing, photographic exposure of polluted vegetal chemistries. Similarly to how membranes of flora assimilate the landscape they inhabit, the canvas too will absorb the plant matter we gathered at the confluence of the river Dommel and a stream carrying industrial wastewaters.
"The Matter We Share" utilizes chromatographic exposures to unveil pollutants in the Dommel's river beds, shedding light on the intertwined history of colonialism and industrial extraction. Through this work, we aim to highlight an alternative perspective on the contaminated components of the river.
The piece was unveiled during the opening weekend on June 16 at 12:45 at Van Abbemuseum and will be on display until November 2024.
All photos are a courtesy of Van Abbemuseum
