Phonebook of Amsterdam ''Hundred thousands people in one head'', 2019, 63 x 23 x 25 CM

Collective Identity Encapsulated in Paper
Telephonebook Netherlands (2020) by Mart Visser is a poignant abstract sculpture that encapsulates the memories of hundreds of thousands of individuals within a single head. Visser utilized old telephone directory pages from across the Netherlands as his primary material, transforming this ephemeral medium into a powerful symbol of connection and obsolescence. By meticulously layering the paper, he creates a sculpture rich in depth and visual complexity. The faintly discernible contours of a head emerge within the structure, an echo of human presence in an increasingly digitalized world. The choice of telephone directory pages as material underscores the transience of information and the shift from physical to digital communication. In an era where physical address books are becoming less relevant, this artwork serves as a reminder of times when personal data was tangible and locally anchored. Visser succeeds in breathing new life into seemingly outdated material, transforming it into a monument of human connection, poetic, layered, and deeply reflective.

Memory, Time, and Connection
Upon closer inspection, the surface reveals fragments of names, addresses, and data, traces of countless individual lives. These fragments evoke a sense of interconnectedness and recall an era when information was still tangible and locally rooted. Telephonebook Netherlands (2020) prompts questions about identity, collective memory, and the passage of time in a changing country. The piece invites introspection about the personal stories hidden behind anonymous names and data. Visser transforms aged, everyday materials into a poetic artwork that portrays the complexity of identity, memory, and time within the dynamics of a vibrant nation. In doing so, it ingeniously exposes the relationship between people, place, and history.