Lingering Echoes

Lingering Echoes (2024) by Sjoerd van Acker is an immersive art installation exploring human connection across time. At the center of the work stands a glowing time capsule, surrounded by traces left by previous visitors. Upon entering the structure and putting on a VR headset, visitors are transported to a digital world where past and present overlap. Movements of previous visitors appear as trails, while each new visitor leaves their own unique path. As they navigate this virtual space, visitors are faced with a choice: follow existing paths or create new ones. The installation transforms each person into both an observer of history and an active creator shaping the future. Central to the experience is the balance between individual expression and collective patterns. Commissioned by TETEM, this work explores how cultures are formed and encourages participants to reflect on the traces they’ll leave for those who follow.

Sjoerd van Acker
Sjoerd van Acker (1997) is a New Media Artist also known as NO FISH. Born in the Netherlands and having spent formative years in Africa, he graduated from the University of the Arts Utrecht (HKU) with a degree in Image and Media Technology. During an internship with the pioneering theatre group PIPS:lab, he discovered his passion for XR, which continues to this day. Van Acker creates immersive experiences that investigate hidden forms of connection. In his graduation project “rLung” (2020), audiences explore their surroundings through breath. His debut “ELELE” (2022), winner of the Crystal Owl Award for best interaction, transforms strangers’ hands into a kaleidoscopic dance. His latest work, “Lingering Echoes” (2024), invites visitors to build upon past traces, revealing how our present actions ripple into the future. Through intuitive and interactive experiences, Van Acker reveals unseen relationships between people, places, and time, inviting audiences to rediscover their place in the world.