The Heavy Loads of Our World
Every day, gigantic container ships enter the port of Rotterdam. These vessels are direct expressions of globalization, the reason behind your cheap t-shirt and reasonably priced television. Yet how ironic that the more ships have grown in size and consequence, the less space they take up in our imagination.
This typological series of 36 photographs documents the largest container ships in the world. Each image is supplemented with data on CO₂, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur oxide emissions per kilometer traveled, recent ports of call, and other relevant ship specifications. A video installation visualizes the overwhelming scale of these vessels, while infographics trace the explosive growth of container ships since their inception and the cartel formation among major shipping companies.
The project reveals how a handful of predominantly private companies, through mutual price agreements and capacity restrictions, dictate the prices we pay in shops. We concern ourselves with ethical consumption, yet rarely consider the ships that carry our goods or the crews working aboard them under questionable conditions. Are economies of scale truly achievable with these floating giants, or do we simply pay a hidden price?
Read more about the continuation of this project.
View the exhibition history.
View the publication
Every day, gigantic container ships enter the port of Rotterdam. These vessels are direct expressions of globalization, the reason behind your cheap t-shirt and reasonably priced television. Yet how ironic that the more ships have grown in size and consequence, the less space they take up in our imagination.
This typological series of 36 photographs documents the largest container ships in the world. Each image is supplemented with data on CO₂, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur oxide emissions per kilometer traveled, recent ports of call, and other relevant ship specifications. A video installation visualizes the overwhelming scale of these vessels, while infographics trace the explosive growth of container ships since their inception and the cartel formation among major shipping companies.
The project reveals how a handful of predominantly private companies, through mutual price agreements and capacity restrictions, dictate the prices we pay in shops. We concern ourselves with ethical consumption, yet rarely consider the ships that carry our goods or the crews working aboard them under questionable conditions. Are economies of scale truly achievable with these floating giants, or do we simply pay a hidden price?
Read more about the continuation of this project.
View the exhibition history.
View the publication
