Object Oriented Democracy

touching ashore

In this project, Dennis Siering, Nina M. W. Queissner, Ellen Wagner, and Linda Weiß explore a landscape of washed-up land. The planet Earth materializes as a system of interlocking cycles, cycles, and tides, of which humankind has always been a part. Once-discarded plastic is carried ashore by ocean currents in the form of "artificial pebbles," appearing as new finds. Seagrass reveals itself as a coastal habitat that, throughout the 20th century, was also frequently cleared away in Europe to keep beaches "clean" for the sake of orderly eyes. Both material forms highlight the absurdity of the concept of waste: discarded items don't simply disappear, they are merely displaced. Plastic cannot be completely discarded; seagrass is essential for human beings and for a quality of life that transcends human needs—and should therefore be considered and processed as a versatile resource.

Seagrass is essential for human life and a higher quality of life—and should be treated and processed accordingly. Over these and other material flotsam and jetsam, a land-based soundscape is laid in the installation "touching ashore," echoing both human interventions in seas and coasts and the vibrancy of diverse habitats. The industries operating in the water, such as energy production, elude our view of the aquatic landscape—disposed of, out of sight, and beyond our senses. Noise pollution, however, reverberates through the watery habitat all the way to the shore.

For the pop-up project in autumn 2026, Dennis Siering, Nina M. W. Queissner, Ellen Wagner, and Linda Weiß bring together their findings and invite visitors into their refuge. On the modular seating and lounging landscape, current political issues surrounding the sea become visible and audible. The project addresses aquatic habitats in the transition zone—the intertidal zone—and how to deal with our own terrestrial bias (Melody Jue, Wild Blue Media, 2020). Stories ranging from seagrass meadows to environmental pollution in the seas and on the coasts, as well as other material inputs or material changes in the water cycle, become negotiable in the underwater tent.

Dennis Siering, Nina M. W. Queissner, Ellen Wagner, Linda Weiß