Silent Times

Basir Mahmood, Adam Broomberg & Rafael Gonzalez, Taysir Batniji, and Younes Zarhoni 
Curated by Joachim Naudts

Kunsthal Extra City is proud to present the new group exhibition Silent Times. This exhibition marks a powerful zero point, bringing together works by various artists that confront us with the unspeakable. There will be video installations and photographic series by Basir Mahmood, the artist duo Adam Broomberg & Rafael Gonzalez, Taysir Batniji, and Younes Zarhoni.

What if words fail us? 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 examines missing words, voices, and political representation in contemporary art practices.

Silent Times shows the work of three versatile artists and an artist duo in the former Dominican, neo-Gothic church in which Kunsthal Extra City is housed. Partly accentuated by this sacred architecture, 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.

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

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.