Oktober 2024, De Kruisruimte, Eindhoven

In an era where religion and tradition are gradually losing their place in daily life, I feel a void of purpose — one that I also recognize in society.

The existential question that makes humanity long for enlightenment has been answered through out the millennia by forces that were believed to be beyond us. Gods, spirits and legends, though intangible, have shaped both mankind and society. From the depths of our creativity and superstitions, personas emerged, offering answers to questions about good and evil, the forces of nature, and the afterlife. 

Many of these ancient questions are fading now, overshadowed by the rise of science and technology. Where once magic and mystery were rulers of this vacuum, there seems to be only room for formulas and facts in this day and age. What we can dissect we can in turn recreate. We no longer have to fear or revere the unknown, for we have the power to shape our own reality. This new faith teaches that enlightenment is found in ultimate control: control over our bodies, control over time, control over matter. In this rapid development, where efficiency is paramount, our sacrifices are not only rewarded with consumption, but with the satisfaction of having earned the justification to consume.

Without the boundaries set by the familiar voices of gods, spirits and legend, there is no measure of fulfillment. And so it seems many of us are ruled by an edict of ‘musts’ and ‘wants’. Perhaps this is a testament to humanity’s restless nature: without chasing desires we fall into a hopeless state before fate. 

Maybe time can teach us that life is not something to be conquered, but something to be accepted.