In Amsterdam, German-Iranian artist Siba Sahabi has created a pavilion – named Pavlopetri, after the submerged ancient Greek city – which explores the Netherlands’ relationship with rising sea levels and hopes to make the consequences of the climate crisis tangible.
Created with Dutch composer and sound artist Rutger Zuydervelt, the installation evokes an underwater world via a soundscape and animated reflections of undulating water projected onto the ceiling. At four metres tall, with a ceiling at two metres – Amsterdam’s depth below sea level – Pavlopetri’s reflective golden exterior and open design invite visitors to engage with its surroundings and provoke the question: what can be done to keep the city from a similar fate?