06-03-2019

Dutch Design Daily

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Maarten van Kesteren www.maartenvankesteren.com

Elephant Trail – ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo

By 06-03-2019

Five installations of observation and reflection around the Asian elephant enclosure – instruments, revealing the sensory world of elephants that is often hidden for humans.

Each instrument transmits human understandings of the elephant world and helps to better observe the elephants and their enclosure. They work as amplifiers for the senses and as a reminder that there is more to our environment than meets the eye. Standing alongside the Hollandse Tuin for example, I hear the rustling of the wind in high trees. And there: the low rumble of an elephant!

Molded in clay in our studio and cast in brass, the installations are heavy and tactile, like elephants. Openings and surfaces are portals, slowly polished by use. The trail makes learning an act of active discovery. Together the installations deepen our understanding of animals and landscapes.