The old ninth-century tree stump (773 – 937) from the museum’s collection, on display in the historical exhibition Allemaal Haarlemmers, serves as the starting point for The Secret of Deep Time, the second in the series of three transhistorical art exhibitions Let go and cherish. The exhibition opens on May 3 and shows the works of Jeanne Aubert, Fabio Barile, Sjoerd Buisman, Lisa van Casand, Douglas Mandry Jacobien de Rooij and Tanja Smeets until September 29.
The tree stump is a silent witness to the past, the deep time of peat swamps, beach walls and vast forest areas, of the soil on which Haarlem was later built. A time that lasted considerably longer than the period that Haarlem now exists. Deep time encompasses Earth’s history, spanning billions of years, long before the rise of human civilization. The imagination of deep time is shown in various ways in the exhibition, with photography, drawings, installations, video, textiles and naturalia. The participating artists show the immensity of deep time. Their work invites us to look differently at natural phenomena that span millennia, such as the formation of glaciers, stones, fossils and minerals. By appreciating this profound time, we can look beyond our own lives in the here and now and thereby be inspired to strive for a better legacy for future generations.
Jacobien de Rooij makes a visual translation in the form of wall drawings of the vegetation that has flourished in Haarlem and the surrounding area for centuries. Jeanne Aubert’s video The Last Song of the Sun is a contemporary myth about the sorrow and anger of the sun, which burns the land and itself until both go dark. Fabio Barile’s photographs are studies of the landscape, with particular attention to geology and how time affects the land. Douglas Mandry works at the intersection of photography, technology, science and sculpture. In his work he explores the relationship between humans and nature, and how nature is perceived through representation. The installation Roots Swirling Under the Pavement (2022-2024) by Tanja Smeets surrounds the visitor with primeval plant structures that intertwine with the space. With her tapestries from the Set in Stone series (2021-2024), Lisa van Casand emphasizes that we must change our attitude towards the earth: instead of exploiting it, we must show solidarity. Sjoerd Buisman, who is presenting his solo exhibition The Nature of Sjoerd Buisman in the museum at the same time as The Secret of Deep Time…, examines the growth processes and structures of trees and plants in his work.
The secret of deep time invites you to wonder about the immense time span of the universe and our role as inhabitants of our earth. It reminds us that our lives are just a small part of a much bigger picture, and that we have a responsibility to cherish and protect our earth for generations to come.
The secret of deep time is after D(R)AAD. About embroidery as protest and healing, the second small exhibition in the Let Go and Cherish series, curated by guest curator Kim Knoppers, who investigates how contemporary art can contribute to a new experience of cultural heritage. The series reflects on contemporary issues and current themes on objects, stories and themes from the historical exhibition Allemaal Haarlemmers – about 1000 years of city history, and takes an alternative and broader view, beyond the borders of Haarlem and its immediate surroundings.
The exhibition was made possible by the Mondriaan Fund, Cultuurfonds, Cultuurstimuleringsfonds Haarlem and the Kees Verwey Foundation.
Info
The secret of deep time
May 3 – September 29, 2024
Verwey Museum Haarlem, Groot Heiligland 47, 2011 EP Haarlem
Sunday and Monday 12 noon – 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m
Free entrance every first Sunday of the month
wwwverweymuseumhaarlem.nl
History and art of Haarlemen South Kennemerland.
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