Where Stones Sleep and Bones Whisper

Where stones sleep and bones whisper is an artistic research project that resurfaces the history related to exploitation of Knaben during its occupation during World War II, when production was accelerated due to high demand of the mineral molybdenite. The project invites reflection on reasons for violence on material and living bodies through the forces of power, and to explore the historical impact that will continue to echo into the future, in the landscape and transformation.

Molybdenum was used to alloy steel for its durability and flexibility in weapon technology. Through archival research and fieldwork, the project examines the violence inflicted on the landscape and labour during the occupational period between 1940 and 1945, emphasising the ethical implications of resource exploitation and technological accelerationism.

Through the examination of the transformed state of molybdenite, this project investigates how this material carries emotional and psychological remnants of its violent extraction. It encompasses the experiences of individuals associated with Knaben by intertwining visual narratives through archival materials, photography, micrography, and textual excerpts that incorporate molybdenum sourced from Knaben. The events at Knaben constitute a component of a broader global narrative pertaining to militarisation and industrial expansion, rather than an isolated incident, thereby reflecting on the enduring consequences of natural resource extraction, which affects both the environment and communities.

Where Stones Sleep and Bones Whisper resurfaces lost time and knowledge, reflecting how the remnants of war and industry continue to shape today’s environmental and geopolitical realities. It disrupts the view of archival histories as a linear timeline of truth, interpreting them instead as a vast archive of lived individual experiences.

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BODIES OF EXTRACTION