A farewell to a Holocene

“The Holocene has terminated” declared the ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy), in 2016. A geological epoch has ended, and another has started. This has sparked much debate about what characterises this new epoch, how to name it and how our lives will unfold in it.

During the Holocene Memorial, we remember, appreciate and part with the Holocene, and we ask ourselves the question: “what do we leave behind?”

To touch upon this question, the Memorial Service gave stage to five speakers who shared with the audience their grief and their memories of the Holocene.

Writer Abdelkader Benali parted with his winter sweater. Artist Frank Bloem parted with AXE deodorant. Evanne Nowak parted with her ‘Lonely Planet’ of Iceland. Performance Artist Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti sang the ‘Ikaros’, a song of farewell from her ancestors. Harpo ‘t Hart and Axel Coumans listened to iron ores found on the beaches of the North Sea, as voices from the Holocene.

At the end of the service the audience was asked to share their memories.

The Holocene Memorial is a collaboration between the North Sea Embassy (curation and production) and Axel Coumans (initiative and concept development)

image and video credit: Casper van der Linden (Ambassade van de Noordzee)