Pavlopetri

The forecast is that the sea level will rise sharply in the coming centuries. With the title Pavlopetri, the creators refer to the Greek underwater city of the same name, which rests on the seabed at a depth of four meters. Sahabi and Zuydervelt explore what it feels like when Amsterdam — which is an average of two meters below sea level — becomes the new Pavlopetri in the long run.  

This takes shape in an installation that reflects different visual and acoustic properties of water. Sahabi's spatial design is inspired by typical monumental columns in Greek architecture and refers to this history. The golden, mirrored exterior and open shape of the installation ensure that the pavilion can enter into a dialogue with the NDSM environment, where water also plays a major role. Inside the pavilion, Zuydervelt's soundscape suggests an underwater world that interacts with the natural sounds of the shipyard. Sahabi's light animation, shown on the ceiling, plays with the typical “dancing light lines” created by the reflections of wavy water surfaces.  

With the work, the creators hope to make the (future) consequences of the climate crisis tangible to the public. Specifically at a location whose (ship) history is characterized by the presence of water and where elements such as wind and water are always explicitly present.

Opening

The installation will be festively opened at 3 pm on NDSM on Sunday, May 26, in the presence of the artists.

About Stichting NDSM-werf

Stichting NDSM-werf programs and manages NDSM's monumental outdoor space as a cultural shipyard that focuses on the public character, creative experiment and polyphony. The foundation develops and presents location-specific installations and artworks by and with artists, designers and architects. More information about the foundation and all art projects, visit ndsm.nl.

About Siba Sahabi and Rutger Zudervelt

Siba Sahabi is a German-Iranian interdisciplinary artist. In addition to objects and sculptures, she creates theater sets and installations for buildings and public spaces.
Rutger Zyudervelt is a musician, composer and performer. Under the name Machinefabriek, he composes music that combines elements of ambient, noise, minimalism, field recordings and electroacoustic experiments.

This artwork was made possible in part by Het Cultuurfonds and Het Stimuleringsfonds.