ONE MILLIMETER OF BLACK DIRT, AND A VEIL OF DEAD COWS

Description

When I discovered the port of Dunkirk, my feet in coal sludge, I felt as if I were looking at a dark figure from the past, risen from the time of the industrial revolution. Before me lay a landscape covered in black molasses and black dust, rough and dirty, altered to the extreme – a grim and spectacular embodiment of the Anthropocene, this 'Age of Man', one of those visions that hint at an impending collapse and carry almost apocalyptic traits. A hypothetical perspective, yet: The extent of the traces at this gigantic site made me perceive the stamp of my fellow humans on a global scale. And indeed it is so: The impact of our activities is so great that humans become a geological force. We are currently creating new types of sediments for the future, such as plastiglomerate, a rock layer that will largely consist of microplastics and will extend across the globe. Another novelty for the paleontologists of the future: Due to the extinction of wild megafauna and our influence on species in general, 93% of the biomass of terrestrial vertebrates already consists of domesticated species, primarily cows, which satisfy our insatiable appetite for meat. It is even likely that in three centuries, the cow will be the largest animal on Earth – an almost incredible forecast. Will this be all that remains of us in the excavations of the future? Cow fossils and a millimeter of black particles? Vincent Jendly was born in 1969 in Freiburg (Switzerland). He has lived and worked in Lausanne since 1994. Since 2009, he has dedicated himself entirely to professional photography. After being shown in Dunkirk, his latest series will now be exhibited for the first time in Switzerland at FOCALE.
Wednesday to Sunday from 2 PM to 6 PM (open on holidays) Tel./Fax +41 22 361 09 66 info@focale.ch Opening in the presence of the photographer: 17.09.2026 from 6 PM

Highlights

• Photo exhibition by Vincent Jendly
• Explores the Anthropocene and human impact on the environment
• Located at Focale in Nyon, Switzerland

General Information

ONE MILLIMETER OF BLACK DIRT, AND A VEIL OF DEAD COWS is a thought-provoking photo exhibition by Vincent Jendly. It examines the profound effects of human activity on the planet, showcasing a landscape that reflects our geological footprint.

Location

Place du Château 4, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland

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