Stones are formed by physical changes, such as melting, cooling, eroding, compacting, or deforming. The formation begins with the weathering, or breaking down, of the exposed rock into small fragments. Through the process of erosion, these fragments are removed from their source and transported by wind, water, ice, or biological activity to a new location.

Similarly to a stone, language is in a continuous state of evolving, by inter-mixing or stagnating, growing or contracting. This occurs through changes in the population size of the people who use it, the frequency and form of its use in different media, through migration and through inter-mixing with other languages.

For the work Weathering Language Sanne Vaassen plays language courses on vinyl record players. Stones are placed on the LP’s, which create marks, cuts and scratches and thus create a new sound by which the language is transformed.

Weathering language, 40x50cm, vinyl record player, LP, rocks, 2020

Made possible thanks to the generous support of the Mondriaan Fonds