South African artist Peter Mammes, who is based in the United Kingdom, will present his solo
exhibition The Great Filter at NGO DEI in The Hague from 9 to 31 May 2026.
The exhibition takes its name from the scientific idea known as the Great Filter. The theory suggests
that many intelligent civilisations may eventually destroy themselves before they advance far enough
to spread into the universe.
Mammes’ drawings explore this possibility through scenes where children, animals, machines and
human figures appear together in carefully constructed compositions. Moments of innocence are
often placed next to symbols of technological power, suggesting a fragile balance between progress
and destruction.
Created at a time when war once again dominates global headlines, the exhibition carries a clear
anti-war message. References to weapons, surveillance and military technology appear alongside
images of nature and childhood, reflecting concerns about how technological progress can become
tied to systems of conflict and control.
“The Great Filter is the idea that most intelligent civilizations destroy themselves before they can
spread into the universe,” says Peter Mammes. “In a time of war and rapid technological change, it
raises a difficult question: are we capable of managing the forces we’ve created?”
The exhibition is presented in The Hague, a city internationally known as a centre for diplomacy and
international law. In this context, The Great Filter reflects on humanity’s ability to avoid destructive
paths and navigate the challenges created by its own technologies.
Exhibition The Great Filter
Artist Peter Mammes
Dates 9–31 May 2026
Opening hours 1pm – 7pm (Closed Monday & Tuesday)
Opening event 9 May 2026, 3pm – 7pm
Closing event 29 May 2026, 7pm – 10pm
Venue NGO DEI
Address Westeinde 25, 2512GS, The Hague, Netherlands
About the Artist
Peter Mammes is a South African artist based in the United Kingdom. His work explores the
relationships between technology, nature and human civilisation. Through figurative imagery
combined with intricate patterned structures, his drawings examine themes of conflict, ecological
fragility and the systems that shape contemporary life.