Katie Paterson - Folkestone Triennial 2025

Filmed and edited by Oliver Parkin

Drone Cinematography by Simon Freeman

Afterlife by Katie Paterson is a sculptural installation of nearly 200 recreated amulets, each made from materials gathered from endangered and fragile landscapes across the globe. Known for her poetic, research-led practice, Paterson explores themes of deep time, planetary change and human connection. In Afterlife, she reimagines ancient charms from cultures worldwide—Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Viking and more—using coral, glacial stone, and other materials from threatened ecosystems. The work links humanity’s past to our uncertain environmental future, inviting reflection on what we inherit, what we lose, and how we might protect the living world before it disappears.