As cities rapidly expand, the materials used to build them are often overlooked. Sands of Time: Walls We Can Walk Through explores the fragile relationship between urban development and environmental degradation in Dar es Salaam. At its center is sand—a resource so vital to construction that it is disappearing. Extracted by the billions of tonnes each year, sand leaves behind eroded coastlines, lost habitats, and displaced communities. This installation invites visitors to consider how a substance that builds our future can also erase it.
At the center of the installation is an interactive sculpture. As the weight shifts, sound levels rise or fall—until the sand runs out and silence takes over. This simple act becomes a metaphor for overextraction, reminding us that even abundant resources have limits. Accompanying the sculpture are a documentary video, poems, and technical notes that provide deeper insight into the ecological, social, and material realities of sand mining in coastal East Africa.
