1985’s WE R THE WORLD

Ofure Omere-Kessi and Jan van Esch look into the ontology of our shared realities by opening up conversations initiated by our clothes and textile waste. It starts with the premise that our reality is neither fully within nor outside ourselves, but actively created in interactions between us. Images, brands and text on clothes channel per definition meaning. Recognition can create connection, but when not understood it can be alienating and divide people in their own perception of reality.

For this installation Jan collected discarded clothes from the streets of Amsterdam, and documented the words and imagery branding them. He handed 60 original words over to Ofure. Limited to the words and letters given from the streets, Ofure created his reading of Amsterdam.