Sonic Acts Biennial, Melted for Love
The exhibition Melted for Love, part of the Sonic Acts Biennial 2026, takes place across W139, Arti et Amicitiae and Rozenstraat, and explores how the notion of ‘home’ shifts under the influence of the climate crisis, colonial histories and forced migration. The exhibition brings together installations, films, sound works and performances that reveal how land, bodies and ecosystems are shaped and affected by various systems of exploitation. By listening to the echoes left behind by these forms of damage, the exhibition reflects on gestures of love and connection to land and community as acts of resistance and repair.
In the historic spaces of Arti et Amicitiae, works are presented that reflect on grief, dispossession and enduring forms of love. The theme Melted for Love manifests here through textile traditions, collective approaches, nautical mythologies, trembling river systems and the regenerative intelligence of mangrove forests.
Dominique White’s work gives form to the nautical myths of the Black diaspora and the voices of shipwrecked bodies. Nour Shantout weaves tatreez as an embodied expression of Palestinian heritage, land and resistance. Noor Abed reflects on collective approaches in the aftermath of the ongoing Nakba, the systemic displacement of Palestinians from their homeland since 1948. Ameneh Solati listens to the waters of the Euphrates and asks whether the natural world itself can grieve. The duo HUNITI GOLDOX draws on mangrove forests to imagine regenerative intelligence, and Arjuna Neuman follows drifting sparks from wildfires to trace stories of migrant labour and quiet solidarity. Together, the works search for traces of love—material and otherwise—hidden beneath layers of sorrow, loss and dispossession.
Public programme
During the Biennial, each location also hosts its own public programme. To explore the events, follow the links below:
- Opening (Arti | 7 February)
Tours:
Comprehensive Tour (across 3 locations: Arti, W139, Rozenstraat | 27 February)
Arti Exhibition Tour (location: Arti | 18 March)
Performance: Hidden love in pockets of grief (14 March)
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Sonic Acts Biennial 2026, Melted for Love
De Sonic Acts Biennial vindt plaats tussen 5 februari en 29 maart 2026 in Amsterdam, en omvat in totaal 80 evenementen op 20 locaties, met werk van meer dan 200 kunstenaars. Deze grootschalige kunstmanifestatie bestaat uit concerten, luistersessies, een symposium, filmvertoningen, tentoonstellingen, masterclasses, workshops en locatie-specifieke projecten. Het middelpunt vormt de hoofdtentoonstelling Melted for Love, verspreid over Arti et Amicitiae, W139, en Rozenstraat, en is te bezoeken gedurende de hele biënnale-periode, van woensdag t/m zondag, van 12:00uur tot 20:00uur, met een extra dag op maandag 2 maart, van 12:00uur tot 17:00uur.
Bezoekers kunnen tickets kopen voor afzonderlijke tentoonstellingslocaties, of kiezen voor een combiticket met korting. De tickets zijn niet aan een datum gebonden en kunnen worden gebruikt tijdens de reguliere openingstijden, met uitzondering van performance-evenementen.
Meer informatie: 2026.sonicacts.com
Read an interview with director Lucas van der Velden in: Articula 35.
