SAIL 2025
20 - 24 August 2025Amsterdam, NL
A celebration of identity, resilience, and shared humanity.
At the heart of SAIL 2025, the Jimmy Nelson Studio presents Waves around the World — a monumental installation that brings cultures together through the power of portraiture.
This striking, lighthouse-shaped structure invites visitors on a visual and emotional journey. On the outside, large-scale analogue portraits from Between the Sea and the Sky pay tribute to Dutch klederdracht communities — celebrating local heritage, craftsmanship, and maritime spirit in honour of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary.
Inside, the narrative shifts. Visitors are immersed in powerful portraits of cultures from across the globe. This seamless transition between local and global stories highlights the beauty of diversity, the strength of cultural identity, and the invisible threads that connect us all.
As part of the installation, change consultancy boutique &samhoud introduces Mirror of Humanity — an interactive AI experience that reflects on how artificial intelligence perceives us. It aims to bring the human perspective back into technological development, fostering more inclusive and fair systems for the future.
Waves around the World is more than an artwork. It is a sanctuary for reflection, a beacon of unity, and a meeting place for cultures — perfectly aligned with SAIL’s themes of sustainability, inclusion, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.
Join us from 20th until 24th of August for this landmark experience where sea, sky, and humanity converge, across from the public library (ObA);
