Lena Herzog's VR Oratorio Against Language Extinction at Ca' Foscari Venice
Lena Herzog's exhibition, “Last Whispers,” is currently on display in Venice at CFZ Ca' Foscari Zattere and the university's main campus, running until September 30, 2022. The show, curated by Silvia Burini and others from Ca' Foscari's Cultural Heritage Department, is part of a UNESCO-supported initiative that highlights endangered languages. It aligns with the UN’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) and features a virtual reality oratorio to raise awareness about language extinction. Herzog, recognized for her previous work at the British Museum, collaborated with the UNESCO Atlas and SOAS to underscore the cultural implications of losing these languages.
Key facts
- Lena Herzog's 'Last Whispers' is on view in Venice until September 30, 2022.
- The exhibition is at CFZ Ca' Foscari Zattere and Ca' Foscari University's main campus.
- UNESCO promotes the project, curated by Silvia Burini, Giulia Gelmi, Anastasia Kozachenko-Stravinsky, and Maria Gatti Racah.
- The project includes a memorial for endangered/extinct languages and a VR oratorio.
- It aligns with the UN International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032.
- Herzog collaborated with UNESCO Atlas and Endangered Languages Archive at SOAS.
- The first edition debuted at the British Museum in 2016 as a video with spatialized sound.
- Herzog cites the Ahom language's sole custodian Tilshua Mohan.
Entities
Artists
- Lena Herzog
- John Berger
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Valerio Veneruso
Institutions
- UNESCO
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice
- CFZ Ca' Foscari Zattere
- Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage of Ca' Foscari
- UNESCO Atlas of the world's languages in danger
- Endangered Languages Archive
- SOAS University of London
- British Museum
- Library of Congress
- United Nations General Assembly
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- United States