Try to Turn the Winds, 2021
1 x 0.8 x 1.5 meter, mixed materials

The installation by sound artist Cathy van Eck is located on the bank of the North Sea Canal, along the southern façade of Het HEM. Sounds of the wind emanate from two speakers. If you blow into the weathervane, the political wind turns. You hear speeches by figures of authority, such as Selwin Hart, Ursula von der Leyen, António Guterres or Sigrid Kaag, spoken with a sense of urgency, which gives the impression that they will immediately get to work and make a change. But if you blow the vane slightly too hard a storm breaks loose and all good intentions quickly drift away, or if you blow too mildly you hear an alarming sound and coal mining continues undisturbed. The installation gives the impression that we can bring about changes ourselves, but also makes us aware of the fragility of any solution.