The world of rivers and mountains is an inexhaustible source of wonder and inspiration, where geographical reality blends with human imagination to create landscapes that are both familiar and mysterious. Rivers, like mountains, are silent witnesses to history, keepers of ancient secrets, and facilitators of movements and exchanges that have shaped civilizations over the centuries.
In the introduction to his 2014 book “Congo: The Epic History of a People,” Belgian historian David van Reybrouck highlights this fascinating duality surrounding the Congo River, describing it as much more than a simple 4,700 km long waterway. This emblematic river of Central Africa, with its basin extending to the Atlantic Ocean, embodies a certain magic, an aura that transcends its simple physical dimension. Van Reybrouck thus evokes the yellowish, ochre, rusty hue of the Congolese waters which, during the rainy months, spread over hundreds of kilometers to the west, further than the coastline, thus diluting its waters in the immensity of the ocean.
Curator Owen Martin, inspired by Van Reybrouck’s reflections on the interconnection between hydrology and history, matured the idea of an exhibition on rivers, dreaming of highlighting these waterways that have played a crucial role in the development of human societies. Now based in Oslo, Norway, as a curator at the Astrup Fearnley Museum, Martin has finally realized his exhibition project, called “Between Rivers”, an ode to the world’s waterways that subtly mixes history, geography and contemporary art.
“Between Rivers” is the expression of a profound reflection on these waterways that have given rise to civilizations, that have witnessed great migrations and geopolitical upheavals. The exhibition brings together the works of twelve artists from all over the world, each bringing their unique vision on the relationship between water and identity, between the constant flow of rivers and the permanence of their presence in the landscape.
Through installations, paintings, sculptures and photographs, the artists selected by Martin explore the themes of fluidity, memory and transformation through the prism of rivers. Marjetica Potrc, with her installation “The House of Agreement Between Humans and Earth”, invites us to rethink our relationship with nature and to find a balance between conservation and development. Hicham Berrada, with his installation “Mesk-Ellil”, offers a poetic dive into the world of aquatic plants and the biodiversity of waterways.
Beyond the simple exhibition of contemporary works of art, “Between Rivers” is an invitation to travel along the rivers of the world, to explore their history and to question the crucial role they have played in the formation of our societies and our identities.. It is also a call to preserve these precious arteries of the Earth, threatened by climate change and human overexploitation.
In conclusion, “Between Rivers” is much more than a contemporary art exhibition, it is a celebration of the beauty and power of rivers, these jewels of nature that continue to inspire and amaze human beings throughout the ages.