Two weeks ago, we hosted the finissage of the exhibition programme “In the vacuum, we felt air”.

The afternoon started with welcoming words by our director Rabiaâ Benlahbib. She walked us through the works and main themes of the exhibition programme straddling inclusion & exclusion, community building, and belonging in the margins.

After that, visitors had two exciting options: A) participate in Cristina Lavosi’s home cheesemaking workshop, where they learned to make their own Sardinian-style cheese, connected to her exhibited installation that explores the political and communal potential of home cheesemaking; or B) join our ecology officer, Mariken Straat, on a foraging walk, where visitors benefited from Mariken’s extensive knowledge of the diverse flora surrounding the Kunstfort, as well as their medicinal qualities. Participants were encouraged to touch, taste, and take some of the plants they encountered such as cloverleaf and millefolium.

Following these activities, everyone was invited to gather for a conversation with Sabine Groenewegen about her installation, “Remanence.” In the audience were some special guests whose voices could be heard in her film, who were descendants of the peace activists in the film, or who otherwise contributed to its existence. A conversation evolved, reflecting on feminism, resistance, responsibility, working with archival material, and more.

The day ended with a cosy gathering in the main hall of the fort with non-alcoholic gin tonics with wild marjoram, freshly prepared nettle soup, and some delicious Sardinian cheese from Cristina’s workshop served with bread and butter with foraged herbs.

We would like to thank everyone for coming and participating! Our thanks also go to all the artists, our funders and Tolmanns gin distillery, our sponsor and neighbor on the fort island!