“A magical entanglement of distance and proximity, of openness and privacy and a melancholic swansong and derisive political incorrectness.”
– Nachtkritik.de

“Bidding farewell can be this beautiful.”
– Berliner Morgenpost

In this haunting installation, interdisciplinary artist Dries Verhoeven bids farewell to the city of Oslo as we know it and in doing so, turns our world upside down. Looking through a telescope, an LED display of distant continuous text serves as an oracle to illuminate objects and ideas that we may need to abandon, now or in the future. Just as a telescope pointing at the stars looks to the past, the audience is invited to explore long-held ideals and potential new insights. This visual requiem serves as a funeral procession, evoking a sense of loss and reminding us of things we may have taken for granted. Dystopian and touching at the same time, this wry exploration of the city, humorously questions our perspective and allows us to reflect upon our times and society.

Watch video here

• Norwegian premiere
• The text on the LED screen is a combination of Norwegian and English
• English translation available on request
• Presented with the support of KORO

In his work, Dries Verhoeven highlights aspects of the shared social reality in which we live. He creates installations, performances and happenings in museums and in public spaces of cities across the world, which play with the relationship between the audience, performers, everyday reality and art. Verhoeven studied at the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design and worked as a scenographer before striking out on his own. Previous works include You Are Here, No Man’s Land, Ceci n’est pas … (presented in Oslo in June 2016 during MOToffentlighet) and Guilty Landscapes.