Astronauts in the Jeruzalem Church

theun — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:56:46 +0000

Start: 2008-06-21 11:00 Europe/Amsterdam

End: 2008-06-21 12:15 Europe/Amsterdam

On the longest day of the year two astronauts land in Amsterdam-West. They do a warm-up jog on the square before going into the Jerusalem Church where they get fitted into their suits.

According to palaeontologysts the first objects to be vererated were meteorites, and the metal in them. Later this was extended to monoliths, which were used as burial stones or judgementstones. In time this would also include stone statues, ivory or wooden statues, and long after that all kinds of religious relics and works of art. But it started apparently with astroliths.

On the altar a mysterious meteor-like blob of clay resides. The astronauts explore the church and inspect the clay object. Next to the altar sits a solitary figure, building a cardboard model of a church. It's Joseph Merrick, the Elephantman, half man, half comet. A strange and at times hilarious ritual unfolds involving also a group of people in animal costumes, and time-keepers.

Astronauts: Johannes Sterk, Elias Tieleman. Merrick: Theun Karelse.
Animal costumes by Alet Pilon, Merrick costume by Simone de Rooij, music by Karel Christian Schultz, Tian Rotteveel.

Mission to the Moon

theun — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:23:04 +0000

Start: 2008-05-10 16:00 Europe/Amsterdam

End: 2008-05-18 18:00 Europe/Amsterdam

A re-enactment of the Apollo 11 mission of 1969. Foamlab not only recycles this icon of technological confidence, but also the materials used to build it. At the exhibition 'Kunstvlaai / Art Pie International', two brave astronauts; Elias Tieleman and Johannes Sterk, can be seen jogging around in preparation for their mission. They exit the Lander accompanied by the original sound recordings from the Moon landing in '69, for general exploration of the lunar-surface, setting-up lunar camera's, collecting stone samples and planting the flag. After comleting the mission they are released from their spacesuits by astronaut-assisitents; Cocky Eek and Theun Karelse. The capsule was made with the generous assistance of Ruben Bus.

FoAM - foamlab

Astronauts in the Jeruzalem Church

Mission to the Moon