T
rained in linguistics and philosophy, Lena Herzog is a multimedia artist whose work has
been exhibited around the world. Last Whispers, an immersive cinematic experience dedicated
to vanishing languages, is the result of Herzog's ongoing interest in indigenous dialects, which
are disappearing at an astonishing rate. By 2050, half of the roughly 7,000 languages spoken around
the world will fall silent. In Herzog's oratorio, the historical recordings of more than 40 endangered or
lost languages come alive among the echoes of collapsing stars in a work The New Yorker critic Alex
Ross calls "haunting and singular." Multiple panels and open discussions are planned to provide deeper
understanding of the languages and what is being done worldwide to protect indigenous voices from
fading away.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
The United Nations General Assembly has designated 2019
as the International Year of Indigenous Languages
Last Whispers was created in collaboration with The Endangered Languages Institute, SOAS, University
of London. It is co-presented by The Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, UNESCO.
www.lastwhispers.org
P E A K D E B U T
LENA HERZOG
LAST WHISPERS
AN IMMERSIVE ORATORIO
FOR VANISHING VOICES, COLLAPSING UNIVERSES, AND A FALLING TREE
CONCEPT/DIRECTED/PRODUCED BY LENA HERZOG
COMPOSITION AND SOUND DESIGN BY MARCO CAPALBO AND MARK MANGINI
"WE ARE FLOATING ON AN OCEAN
FILLED WITH THE SILENCE OF OTHERS."
– LENA HERZOG
8
