The call of the o’o. Nature under pressure.

On display from august 30 till januari 26 2025

Dodo, Quagga, and Hawaiian O’o come back to life

We will never know what the dodo sounded like. But we do know the call of the extinct Hawaiian bird, the Kauai o’o. In the late 20th century, the song of the very last male was recorded.

You can hear this sound in the exhibition The Call of the O’o: Nature Under Pressure. The exhibition explores how Western Europeans relate to nature, how this can be explained by looking at history, and how we can move forward into the future with new insights.

The Call of the O’o is based on the natural history collections of Allard Pierson. Famous drawings, books, and prints from the rich Allard Pierson Artis Library are complemented by pieces from other museums and archives.

Works by artists such as Mark Dion, Damien Hirst, and Milah van Zuilen highlight the impact of history on the present. Current scientific developments are also showcased, including through an audio tour and public programming.

Outside Nature

We are currently experiencing a major wave of extinction caused by human activity. How did it come to this, and why has humanity placed itself outside of nature for centuries? The exhibition reveals how nature has been explored, studied, and depicted by Western Europeans since the 16th century. Curiosity and admiration have gone hand in hand with hunting, exploitation, and the destruction of habitats—right up to the present day.

Groundbreaking InsightsVisitors will be introduced to naturalists such as Conrad Gessner (1516–1565), who attempted to compile everything ever written about animals in his beautifully illustrated Historiae animalium. Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) trained as a painter and, at a young age, studied the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies. The exhibition features her watercolor works. Of course, scientists such as Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778), Georges Cuvier (1769–1832), and Charles Darwin (1809–1882) are not missing. All of them arrived at groundbreaking insights that ultimately led to the conclusion that there is a profound interconnectedness within ecosystems. Unfortunately, this realization did not prevent the loss of countless animal and plant species. Most of these can now only be admired on paper. Some have been preserved or mounted, such as the Kauai ʻōʻō and the quagga featured in the exhibition, from the collection of Naturalis.

The Allard Pierson also presents the results of contemporary scientific research into animal species and ecosystems. For this, collaboration took place with IBED (the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics at the University of Amsterdam). Biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra elaborates on the exhibition’s themes in the audio tour.

Conrad Gessner, leopard. Before 1551.

Maria Sibylla Merian, insects and branch of hawthorn

Art, Science, and Nature

Art and science have always been closely interconnected. Artists influence the way we perceive nature. They can draw attention to its beauty, but also highlight the threats it faces. The exhibition features works by contemporary artists such as Mark Dion, Damien Hirst, Bernie Krause, Milah van Zuilen, Abel Rodríguez, Diana Scherer, Sinke & Van Tongeren, Emilia Tapprest, and Matthew Wilson. These works connect to historical narratives.

Hope and Inspiration

This exhibition was created in collaboration with various organizations dedicated to nature, combating the climate crisis, and protecting plant and animal species. The Climate Museum presents stories from people who approach the climate and nature crisis from different perspectives. The World Wildlife Fund showcases images of several hopeful projects.

Sinke & van Tongeren

Audio Tour

An audio tour by biologist and researcher Auke-Florian Hiemstra is available for the exhibition. He guides you through the exhibition halls and discusses the current state of science. The audio tour is available in both Dutch and English.

Activities

Come watch, talk, and join in! Between August 30, 2024, and January 26, 2025, we will host talks, debates, films, workshops, and more.

The call of the o’o is made possible thanks to the Amsterdam University Fund, Cultural Fund, Fonds 21, Fonds NME, Iona Foundation, Mondriaan Fund, Nut Amsterdam, Stichting de Hoorn, Turing Foundation, Triodos Foundation, private individuals, and in collaboration with the IBED (Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics) and the World Wildlife Fund.

Picture: Naturalis/ Alexander Schippers