The River exhibition opening at Natural History Museum supported by Jerwood Foundation

The River opening on 26th July 2024 is the third exhibition in the Contemporary Arts Programme at the Natural History Museum in London supported by Jerwood Foundation. In this exhibition Jana Winderen, one of the world’s leading sound artists in collaboration with Tony Myatt has developed a brand-new audio immersive sound installation. Through these recordings, Jana Winderen allows you to delve into the waters of the River Thames and experience an underwater sound world that has evolved over millions of years, and the increasingly imposing noise of human activity, the impact of which we are yet to fully understand.

 

Jana Winderen, Artist of The River, says:

When I lower the hydrophones into the river, another sound-world appears; stridulating underwater insects, ticking of plant photosynthesis, grunts from fish and sounds from mammals, including us. We dominate the soundscape during the daytime, but when you listen carefully, when most people are sleeping, or in areas less populated by humans, you can enter this exciting world of underwater sound.

The Museum’s Jerwood Gallery is one of London’s most up-and-coming contemporary arts spaces to connect audiences and artists to the natural world, blending contemporary art conceptions with vital information concerning the planetary emergency.

Art is a vital medium through which we can convey powerful messages about our relationship with the natural world. Jana has composed a poignant merging of art and science through The River which invites us not only to engage with an underwater environment most of us are unfamiliar with, but to consider just how much human activity has affected this vital habitat.

- Alex Burch, Director of Public Programmes, Natural History Museum

The River is free for all visitors to the museum and can be found in the Jerwood Gallery at the Natural History Museum in London

July 16, 2024