What if words fail us? At what point does something become unspeakable? In times where countries are involved in geopolitical power games, the voice of the individual is silenced. Silent witnesses, erased instructions, obliterated testimonies – the absence of words can sometimes be a relief, but most often it’s a foreboding prelude.

Silent Times is meant to be a zero point and brings together works by different artists, each confronting us with the unspeakable. But who decides who can speak? It’s no coincidence that the Dutch word for ‘voice’ (stem) is also the word for ‘vote’. One’s political voice and one’s personal voice are both heavily controlled. ‘Freedom of speech’ almost feels like a phrase from a past long gone.

Silent Times deals with the unspoken, with the psychological weight of silence and the burden of not finding the words. Contradictory as it may sound, the exhibition also includes a substantial public programme with (lecture) performances, talks, temporary installations and meditation sessions. After all, it’s only in reconnecting with each other, embracing ideas of safe spaces and neighbouring that this silence can be broken.

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Exhibiting artists: Basir Mahmood, Adam Broomberg & Rafael Gonzalez, Taysir Batniji, Younes Zarhoni

Artists and participants contributing to the public programme: Sana Ghobbeh, Benjamin Verhoeven & Amine Lahrach, Isshaq Albarbary, Paloma Bouhana, among others

During the closing weekend of Silent Times, we will once again embrace the human voice with a multi-day event titled Break the Silence.