Antwerp, 15 August 1902. Assumption of Mary.
During the annual procession of lights, the float of the Leopold association parades over the bumpy cobblestones with much fanfare. Candles, petrol lamps, oil lamps and as many as hundreds of light bulbs. The crowd has never seen such a spectacle. There is something magical about it. Saying goodbye to summer and celebrating light. But then disaster strikes.
Using contemporary field recordings, soundscapes and lights, radio producer Céline Ottenburgh guides us through this historical story of light and wonder and the relentless drive for progress.
The audio reconstruction The martyr of Antwerp was made as part of the festival A Nyeu Liedeken and premiered on 9 November 2021 at De Roma.
Céline Ottenburgh studied Radio at the RITCS. Her work balances between audio documentary, soundscape and music. As a presenter, she presented the experimental electronic music programme 'Filter' on XL Air. In 2019, she was awarded the NTR Podcast Prize with 'The lonely funeral'. In 2020, she was selected for the Prix Europa Rising Star with her master's thesis, 'Staring at the sun'.
