Fragments from Shallow Lake
Platform POST, Van Oldenbarneveltstraat 63A, Nijmegen i.c.w. VRIZA
Curated by Youri Appelo
Opening: October 28, 2022, 8 p.m.
Exhibition: October 29 – December 11
What are the ecological consequences of dumping contaminated soil into public waters? And can toxicity lead to new nature? Jasper Coppes’ solo exhibition Fragments from Shallow Lake focuses on these questions. Coppes shows fragments from his new film Shallow Lake. The fragments depict the different perspectives presented in the film, and at the same time give an insight into the editing process of the film.
Both the film and the exhibition focus on the contradictory nature of deep sand mining lakes in the Maas and Waal region. For decades, these lakes have been filled with contaminated soil to create new nature areas. The new nature is an industrial wilderness, a composite of exotics. Genetically engineered primordial cows graze on polluted soil, stone powder from Scotland swirls in deep lakes, PFAS accumulate in toxic sludge. And all these elements are also the territory of beaver and special flora. But what is the impact of these toxins on the flora and fauna of these areas? And how can we process pollution?
Shallow Lake was developed in collaboration with VRIZA. Funders: AFK, De Korte Verbeelding (Mondriaan Fonds and Nederlands Filmfonds), Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds Gelderland