— Log in to watch the artist video if you have been given an access
16:9 HD
Quicksand is an audio and video installation set in 2033. It tells the story of Jason, a man fighting for his life in the Mediterranean Sea. Quicksand amplifies tendencies within present day Europe and sets it in the near future in a hostile environment where the manufacturing industry is long gone, job security is a thing of the past, and people are competing for work that is poorly paid and on a casual basis. The economy has imploded, hospitals and state schools are closing, trains rarely run. Politically, the far right has become increasingly influential, taking advantage of people’s frustrations to stoke resentment against immigrants. EU has collapsed and throughout Europe, borders have closed. It is against this backdrop that Jason, a husband and father has decided to join the exodus of people who pay people smugglers to help them leave Europe in the hope of starting a new life ‘somewhere else’. Jason’s journey ends when the boat he is in capsizes and he and many other European migrants are struggling to survive.
Nikolaj Larsen (1971) lives and works in Paris. He undertook a master’s degree in Fine Art and Media at Slade School of Fine Art in London (2001) and a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and Sculpture at Chelsea College of Art in London (1999). Nikolaj Larsen uses a variety of technological media (photo, video, installations) to create work with a deeply humanistic engagement at its core. Though his work addresses political and social issues, his approach remains sensitive, careful and engaging. He attended several artistic residencies – Qwatz, Calabria (Italy, 2014); PiST///, Istanbul (Turkey, 2012); Santa Fe Art Institute (SFAI), Santa Fe (USA, 2009); Al Mamal Foundation for Contemporary Art, Jerusalem (2006) – and his work is represented in public and private collections, such as Sharjah Art Foundation, United Arab Emirates; Museum of London, UK; Kunsten Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg, Denmark.
Last update 22nd October 2019