Lena Herzog
LAST WHISPERS
An immersive, experiential work dedicated to the extinction of languages.
Now touring globally in conjunction with the UN/UNESCO decree naming
2022-2032: THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
the dense moss, rich with moisture, is a perfect growing medium for iceland’s many species of mushrooms. experienced mushroom hunters know to visit their favorite spots a few days after it rains to find the biggest variety.
Every two weeks the world loses a language.
At an unprecedented speed, faster than the extinction of some species, our
linguistic diversity—the very means by which we know ourselves—is eroding.
Today out of the 7,000 languages remaining on Earth, only 30 are spoken among
the majority of the world population. It is estimated that at least half of the planet’s
currently spoken languages will have died out by the end of this century.
Some estimates project a much greater speed of disappearance.
Last Whispers is a project about the mass extinction of languages.
By definition, this extinction occurs in silence, since silence is the very form it takes.
Last Whispers sounds what has gone silent.
While we drown in the noise of our own voices—uttered within dominant
cultures and languages—we are surrounded by a vast ocean of silence.
Last Whispers aims to further awareness of linguistic extinction.
MISSION
mushrooms dot the landscape
the dense moss, rich with moisture, is a perfect growing medium for iceland’s many species of mushrooms. experienced mushroom hunters know to visit their favorite spots a few days after it rains to find the biggest variety.
an island created by volcanoes
iceland’s geothermic pools and black sand beaches create stunning compositions from the air. both are created by the island’s constant volcanic activity.
natural beauty in its rawest form
iceland’s surface is carved by water, originating from either its massive glaciers or abundant rainfall.
the sun’s angle at this latitude produces deep and contrasty colors, drawing out the blacks in the volcanic soil and saturating the greens from the grasses and moss.
shop prints
a2 sized digital c prints, suitable for framing. each edition is limited to ten prints.
