Discover forgotten ecological memories
Where a windshield covered in insects was the norm twenty-five years ago, it is now an unimaginable sight for children today. What images of nature will they remember in the future? And what do we, as a society, still know about the state of the natural world in 1900?
Eco-Amnesia: In search of forgotten perspectives invites visitors to explore how our understanding of nature changes across generations. Inspired by the concept of Shifting Baseline Syndrome, which describes how environmental memory fades over time, the project uncovers stories about biodiversity from decades past.
Through co-creation sessions done at Vitalis Berckelhof, seniors share personal memories of landscapes, plants, and wildlife from their youth, providing unique glimpses into how the city and its environment have changed over time. These recollections are transformed into visual and narrative elements that allow visitors to connect past and present experiences of nature.
Engage, Experience, and Participate
The exhibition brings these stories to life through interviews, visual translations, and Verhalendozen: boxes filled with fragments of memory and creative interpretations from participants. Visitors can explore the participants’ memories, walk through visual mappings, and immerse themselves in archival materials that illustrate the city’s changing ecology. Interactive elements invite audiences to share their own memories or reflections, making the exhibition an active space where visitors contribute to the ongoing dialogue about biodiversity, environmental change, and ecological memory.
