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The British artist Jesse Darling transforms the church space of the Oude Kerk into a landscape of construction debris, old furniture, discarded electronics, and other materials collected from Amsterdam. At a time when social, political, and ecological systems are under strain, Godsworth reflects on what is valuable, and how value is continually redefined and rediscovered.
A landscape of construction rubble
Large sections of the church floor are covered with rubble from construction waste. From this landscape, playful sculptures emerge, assembled by Darling from discarded furniture, scrap metal, and broken appliances. The materials originate from Amsterdam and were partly collected by Darling himself. By using everyday waste and debris, Darling highlights the often messy reality of human existence and questions the social and political forces that determine what—and who—is considered valuable. For Darling, the rubble is not an endpoint but “matter in transition”, something awaiting revaluation and new meaning.
Sculptures made from reclaimed materials
Darling drew inspiration from the nearly forty altars that were once scattered throughout the church—places where different groups of people gathered, each with their own rituals and connections. In Godsworth, these sites of encounter and meaning-making return in the form of seemingly provisional assemblages that could shift into another form at any moment. Scaffolding elements are part of these constructions: they provide stability, but also allude to something still under construction.
Transition of materials and meanings
In this way, Godsworth becomes a space in which everything remains in flux: materials, meanings, and forms of gathering. At a time when social, political, and ecological systems are under pressure, Godsworth reflects not only on what is valuable, but also on how value is continually redefined and rediscovered.
Public programme
Alongside the exhibition, the Oude Kerk is organising an in-depth public programme, including weekly walk-in guided tours, concerts, and workshops. During the final weekend of the exhibition, Jesse Darling will host an Evening Service.
About the artist
Jesse Darling (1981, Oxford) is known for his disruptive, often humorous yet empathetic installations. In 2023 he was awarded the Turner Prize for this work. Using repurposed and everyday materials, he distorts familiar objects to create sculptures that hover between relics, carnivalesque figures and discarded remnants. His work reveals the fragility of systems that consider themselves invulnerable – from civilisation to identity – and makes palpable how notions of value and exclusion are constantly being redefined.
Collaboration & Support
With special thanks to: Het Groene Veld. The exhibition is generously supported by Ammodo, with additional contributions from Stichting Zabawas and the BPD Cultuurfonds.
