An ongoing research into “Noord en Oost Tartarye”, a book written by a Dutch statesman and Amsterdam’s mayor Nicolaes Witsen in the 17th century.
This book is noted as the first time many indigenous languages from Inner Eurasia were recorded in written form, including Sakha (Yakut). The aim of the project is to look and examine the oddity that is the page containing Sakha and Dutch words, as well as looking into the work and legacy of Witsen.
The project consists of two parts: a personal interpretation of the source material through visual and audio experiments, and a collection of historical records and biographies that attempts to look into the unlikely connection between the Netherlands and Republic of Sakha — two places more than 6000 kilometers away from each other.
Developed as a part of airWG residency and exhibited at puntWG.
Supported by the Amarte Fonds.