In the context of my solo exhibition in het Glazen Huis in Amstelpark, Amsterdam, running from 30 June to 15 September 2024, I held two open research days. Under the title Between No Longer and Not Yet, I presented new and existing works while researching the Amstel River as a living entity. The Amstel is a remnant of a northern arm of the Rhine delta: once a boggy estuary, now a dammed waterway with no clear beginning and no clear end. My practice during this period was an attempt to get to know the river through their materiality.

On 14 July, I invited visitors to join me for an afternoon of shared fieldwork. I guided the group along the Amstel and encouraged the collection of anything that stood out. Together we collected a range of new mussel shells for my work Mother of Pearl, took soil samples, water samples, and bagged any odd items. Back at Het Glazen Huis, we took care of the mussel shells by gently cleaning and sorting them, checking them for pearls and discussing our finds.

On 31 August, I hosted a second open research day. This time I brought listening tools to bring on our fieldwalk. We spent time collectively listening with a hydrophone to the Amstel River, and the various waterbodies in and around the park. It was a special experience listening closely together to the river’s living entities and the sounds of the world beneath the water’s surface.