exhibition premiere of the film KALI WAAL by Jasper Coppes (22 min., 2024)
location: puntWG, Amsterdam
opening: 25 July 17:00 – 19:00
opening hours: 26 – 28 July 14.00 to 18.00
public conversation Fiction as Resistance: 27 July 17:00 – 19.00
The film KALI WAAL combines fiction and documentary approaches to explore controversial ecological practices in the Netherlands. Artist Jasper Coppes’ short film will premiere on Thursday, July 25th, at puntWG in Amsterdam. The presentation includes a program of screenings and a spatial installation, which will be on view until 28th of July. On Saturday, 27th of July, a conversation will take place between the artist and journalist Mira Sys, whose research on polluted lakes was a significant inspiration for the work.
The work is related to the dumping of granulite and other industrial waste in sand extraction areas by various dredging companies, a practice that has been in the media in recent years as a ‘serious environmental offense’. Coppes visited nature reserves near the river Waal for his film. To protect the local residents from the companies involved, Coppes assembled a team of external researcher-actors. These young individuals question what can be considered as ‘nature’ and conduct their own experiments into the water quality of these lakes.
The film engages in a dialogue with utopian narratives about innovative rewilding processes advocated by industries and authorities. According to proponents, the dumping of polluted mud in seemingly lifeless sand extraction lakes leads to renewed biodiversity. They present toxic dredging as the remedy for issues caused by previous industrial extraction.
By scrutinizing the optimistic narrative of authorities about this experimental design, Kali Waal invites the viewer to doubt the innocence of this landscape. Seen from up close, the vibrant greens and earthy browns resemble more of a sickening slurry. Coppes emphasizes that, “like the ‘primal cows’ roaming here, this landscape has been manipulated to appear as primitive, authentic nature, but is actually shaped by industrial forces.”
Presentation of KALI WAAL and other works developed during the making of the film and/or related to the film’s themes. On 27 July, the artist will have a public conversation with journalist and writer Mira Sys, followed by drinks. In the public conversation with Mira Sys, Coppes will delve into fiction as a strategy to address environmental issues.
KALI WAAL is supported by Korte Verbeelding, a collaboration between Mondriaan Fonds and the Nederlands Film Fonds, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Gelderland, was developed in collaboration with Zone2Source in Amsterdam and P–OST in Nijmegen, and produced by vriza (www.vriza.org).
Jasper Coppes in conversation with Mira Sys, photo: Rhea Harbers