Exhibition

Objects of Future Heritage

VanGerven|VanRijnberk made interventions in 2012 in the landscape of the Maltese Islands Malta and Gozo. Artist Duo VanGerven|VanRijnberk Van Gerven born in Rosmalen, Van Rijnberk was born in Buren, both live and work in Tilburg.

In the work Objects of Future Heritage VanGerven|VanRijnberk focus on the behaviour of the relentless and arbitrarily dumping of waste in the scarce countryside on the Maltese islands. Litter and illegal dumping of garbage is a major social problem that of course not only occurs in Malta.

Malta is a member of the European Community and socially highly developed. A small and densely populated archipelago in the Mediterranean with a rich history and great heritage of European significance. Obviously the most important source of income is the tourism industry. By-products of tourism are waste and litter.

Heritage and tourism

On one hand, the historical elements from Malta’s past are emphasised and developed. A large effort is made to presenting tourists with the heritage of Malta and the splendour of the countries past. In Malta, no effort is too much showcasing this heritage in great atmospheric images and an appropriate landfill.

However, on the other hand, there is the deliberate destruction of the little that remains of the Arcadian landscape, by the carelessness with litter and continuous dumping of waste. Why so much focus on the past, when all the present values seem to be destroyed? What kind of future will arise?  In the setting of the Maltese Arcadian landscape this raises a strong reaction.

The artists ask themselves: “What will be the judgment of future archaeologists when in 500 years from now, excavations are carried out into the heritage of our time, the year 2012?” VanGerven|VanRijnberk make this judgment visible through interventions in landscape of 2012 and nurturing a document by photographing their artistic process. Because the paradox  is so clear in Malta, the artists offer with their work Objects of Future Heritage is a powerful conversational image for this universal problem.

Artistic research project for Eco Gozo
Website VanGerven|VanRijnberk