British artist Jesse Darling transforms the space of the Oude Kerk into a landscape of construction debris, old furniture, discarded electronics, and other materials collected from Amsterdam. In a time when social, political, and ecological systems are under pressure, Godsworth reflects on what is valuable, and how value is redefined and rediscovered time and again. Please note: The Oude Kerk is closed on April 27 due to Kingsday.
A landscape of construction debris
Large sections of the church floor are covered with rubble from construction waste. Playful sculptures rise from the landscape, assembled by Darling from discarded furniture, scrap metal, and broken appliances. The material originates from Amsterdam and was partly collected by Darling himself. By using everyday waste and rubble, Darling emphasizes the often messy reality of human existence in his work and questions the social and political forces that determine what and who is of value. According to Darling, the rubble is not an endpoint but 'matter in transition,' something awaiting revaluation and a new meaning.
Sculptures made from used materials
Darling drew inspiration from the nearly forty altars that once stood scattered throughout the church, places where different groups of people gathered—each with their own rituals and interconnections. In Godsworth, these places of encounter and meaning-making return in the form of seemingly provisional compositions that could take on a different form at any moment. Scaffolding elements are part of these constructions: they offer stability, but also refer to something that is still under construction.
Transition
In this way, a space emerges in Godsworth where everything remains in motion: materials, meanings, and form and convergence. In a time when social, political, and ecological systems are under pressure, Godsworth reflects not only on what is valuable, but also on how value is redefined and rediscovered time and again.
Public program
Parallel to the exhibition, the Oude Kerk is organizing an in-depth public program including weekly drop-in tours, concerts, and workshops. During the final weekend of the exhibition, Jesse Darling is organizing an Evening Service. View the program here.
About Jesse Darling
Jesse Darling (1981, Oxford, UK) is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the moment. In 2023, he won the prestigious Turner Prize. In his sculptures and installations, he gives a new form and context to everyday objects. Through his work, Darling demonstrates that vulnerability and fallibility are inherent to people, societies, and materials. Exhibitions of his work have been shown at Tate Britain, the Venice Biennale, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, The Drawing Center New York, Museum Ludwig Cologne, and Palais de Tokyo Paris (Spring 2026), among others.
