lotte geeven installs the river book + sound piece in new orleans
all images courtesy of lotte geeven

 

 

 

the bright installation at may gallery in new orleans serves as a room where one can listen to a 1 hour and 15 minute reading of ‘the river’, a book by amsterdam-based multimedia artist lotte geeven. based on stolen pages, the piece describes the 2320.2 mile current of the great mississippi river. navigating from one voice to another, the 440 page volume transcends through history, past the muddy riverbanks, valleys, okra fields and plantations. the story has been constructed from hundreds of poems that mention the river, with captivating words about water which are arranged by states, from the source of the river to the delta.

 

 


‘dr. christophe jackson reading the river; a book by lotte geeven’
video courtesy of lotte geeven

 

 

the work has been completed with the generous support of the mondriaan fund, the rosa mary foundation, the netherland america foundation, riso, michael wilkinson and the may season members.

lotte geeven installs the river book + sound piece in new orleans
installation overview showing the room where the reading takes place

 

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installation detail

 

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lotte geeven installs the river book + sound piece in new orleans

 

lotte geeven installs the river book + sound piece in new orleans
the book ‘the river’

 

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visitor reading

 

lotte geeven installs the river book + sound piece in new orleans
detail

 

 

project info:

 

voice: dr. christophe jackson
outline: produced during a residency at may
may artistic director: keene kopper
publication director: émilie lamy

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.