Silent Sky Project #13

On June 18, 2006, during the Oerol Festival on Terschelling, the impressive Silent Sky Project #13 took place, created especially for the festival’s 25th anniversary. Commissioned by Mothership, artist Rob Sweere designed a moment of collective stillness and connection. During this performance, more than 2,000 participants were invited to lie on their backs in silence between 12:25 and 12:55 p.m., gazing up at the sky. The setting for this extraordinary event was the monumental land sculpture “Jaarringen” by landscape artist Bruno Doedens.

With nothing but a towel beneath them, participants quite literally became part of the landscape — integrated into a larger artwork. Unbeknownst to them, this powerful moment of collective stillness was captured from both an airplane and even a satellite. The resulting aerial images reveal a mesmerizing vision of human vulnerability and strength, suspended between earth and sky. As a lasting memory, each participant received a personal photograph of the event, and the project gained international recognition through a feature in National Geographic.

Silent Sky Project #13 highlighted the power of silence, togetherness, and the relationship between humans and nature. Mothership developed the concept, acted as curator, guided the participation process, and was responsible for the project’s execution and coordination.