Letters from 2050
Letters from 2050 is a collection of fictional human stories in the backdrop of a changed world in 2050. I have crafted 28 short stories written in a letter format by a fictional character living at a different part of the world in the year 2050.
The project’s initial departure of being an exhibition defined the format of the stories as short texts that can be read while standing. The visitors were also invited to participate by writing their stories and how this could change towards 2050. This participation inspired new stories and those were exhibited in the new locations of the traveling exhibition.
The project has been developed with Urban Futures Studio of Utrecht University as part of Post-Fossil city exhibition and since then exhibited at various events in Utrecht, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Gent and Dublin
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“I knew a guy, he was extracting coal illegally and selling it to Egyptians. He said I could help and that’s how I started.”
Excerpt from the letter of a Sudanese man explaining how he started illegal coal mining in 2050
“My fortune and fame. I suppose those are the things you are most interested in hearing about. I will tell you a bit about how I built up all what I have.
Excerpt from the letter of a Chinese man narrating his life story in 2050 next to the story of Beijing.“Upon arrival to Amsterdam Centraal, one immediately feels energized. Nothing beats the feeling of going under the ground at the station, floor by floor, then taking a train and setting out to see something new.”
Excerpt from the letter of a woman leading a life between the Netherlands and Spain in 2050.“Now Tallinn is where I have lived more than half of my life. My children grew up here and my husband is buried here. I was a music teacher in Syria up until I was 24, and I have been a hair-dresser in Tallinn all the rest of my life.”
Excerpt from the letter of a Syrian immigrant telling us her life after settling down in a new country.
“The jade ran out more than a decade ago. Since then, we are surrounded by emptiness.
There is no jade, no Chinese, no dreams. The mountains vanished over time, and the youth has migrated to far lands.”
Excerpt from the letter of an old miner in Myanmar, describing the environmental and societal degradation that took place in his surrounding through mining.Amsterdam / ACT. Festival
An annual event organized by ASN Bank, ACT. is a day for sustainable tomorrow. Letters from 2050 was invited to be a part of it. A long and silent table of letters was what we imagined; a surface on which the envelopes are laid, waiting to be picked up. The stories were read by hundred of people within hours.
An annual event organized by ASN Bank, ACT. is a day for sustainable tomorrow. Letters from 2050 was invited to be a part of it. A long and silent table of letters was what we imagined; a surface on which the envelopes are laid, waiting to be picked up. The stories were read by hundred of people within hours.
Ghent / Digipolis
In an effort to make Ghent a climate-friendly city, Ghent city council has been actively working with various parties and as part of that agenda and Letters from 2050 as part of the Post-Fossil City exhibition took part in the exhibition introducing human stories to the experience.
In an effort to make Ghent a climate-friendly city, Ghent city council has been actively working with various parties and as part of that agenda and Letters from 2050 as part of the Post-Fossil City exhibition took part in the exhibition introducing human stories to the experience.
Den Haag / Post-Fossil City Exhibition
In the city hall building of Den Haag, Post-Fossil City exhibition took place introducing art and design projects about a post-fossil future to the people from the city. Letters from 2050 installation was a curved wall upon which letters were exhibited to be picked up and read by passers-by.
In the city hall building of Den Haag, Post-Fossil City exhibition took place introducing art and design projects about a post-fossil future to the people from the city. Letters from 2050 installation was a curved wall upon which letters were exhibited to be picked up and read by passers-by.
In Collaboration with
Esther Estevez
Exhibition Design
Studio Lonk
Photos
in Utrecht and Den Haag: Maarten Nauw
in Gent: Raf Gorissen
Videos
Rik Mertens
Post Fossil City Exhibition Curators
Non-Fiction
With special thanks toUrban Futures Studio, Utrecht University
Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, gemeente Utrecht, gemeente Den Haag.