９月のオランダは展覧会オープニングの嵐で、毎週末が誰かのオープニングをやってる状態である。そんななか、私とパスカルが参加した「A Soothing Song」のオープニングは木曜日の夕方Bijlmerというアムスだけどちょっと遠い場所だったけど家族で行ってきた。パスカルと私のシーンがフライヤーにも使われていたのでちょっと義務と、Bijlmerという地区にも興味があったので。Bijlmerはいわゆる歴史的なアムステルダムの町並みとは全く違う雰囲気の街で、住宅やショッピングセンターを作り力を注いでいるが犯罪が多く、特定の人種が住む地区のようにみられている。オープニングに誘った友達の中には「作品はきれいで見たいけど私はBijlmerには行かないから」とはっきり断った人もいるくらい。

私は仕事の後メトロで、パスカルとパパは家から自転車をこいでImagineICというギャラリーでおちあう。

スピーチの前にまずは作品を拝見。

インスタレーションが設定されている真っ暗な通路を抜けると目の前に私とパスカル写っているスクリーンが目に入った。

a still from art installation” A Soothing Song” by Monica Blok and Hadas Itzkovitch

Hadasからパスカルはカメラ目線でニコニコしててすごくいいショットだったと聞いていたけど、ほんとにニコニコしている。カメラが珍しかったんだろうな〜

このインスタレーションは１２人のオランダに住む外国人の母とその子が参加し、古いオランダ絵画のような設定の家のなかで母が自国の子守唄を歌いながら子供をあやすシーンを丸く設定された１２個の別々のスクリーンに映し出すというものだ。それぞれのスクリーンに設置されたヘッドフォンからは母親が歌う子守唄が聴ける。

双子をもつ母親もおり、ずり落ちそうな二人を抱えながらがんばってるお母さんをみるだけで泣けそうになった。
何度見ても「母と子」の姿は美しい。母親がどの国籍であろうとどの国で暮らしていようとそれは変わらないし、皆そのように育てられてきたということをアーティストたちは伝えたかったのだと思う。そしてそれを特にBijlmerという地区でみせることに意味があるのだろう。

展示をじっくり見た後、キュレーターのスピーチ、花束贈呈、音楽、飲み食いを存分に味わったパスカルは病気だったにも関わらず始終ご機嫌。家に帰ってからの方が不機嫌だったくらいだ。

There is a small gallery in the beginning of Kinkerstraat called “Kulter” which is near by my street,. I was always wondering what kind of gallery it was whenever I passed by. One of the organizers of the Kulter, Julie Dassaud,  contacted me and I was invited to join their show for September. I am more than happy to show my work in a place just round!  “Close Encounter” is from 13September till1 October.

KULTER.#05 – CLOSE ENCOUNTER

Vlam goes west and invites belly dancer Natalia Bonanese at Kulter.
Opening Sunday 13-09 17:00 – 20:00

With
Panos Mitsopoulos – work in progress
Marjet Cliteur – drawings, poetry
Frank Baars – slide projection
Willem van der Weide – paintings
Kyoko Inatome – photography, video

Tango evening 18-09 20:00 –>
Hosted by Barbara Jans.

Further open on appointment: info@kulter.nl | 06 17 404 955 | info@vlam.me

LOCATION Amsterdam Kinkerstraat 12c

vlam@kulter

Pascal and I are one of the models in an art installation by Monica Blok and Hadas Itzkovitch.
The opening of this exhibition is on 10th September 2009 18:00~ at Imagine IC
It should be a beautiful installation…don’t miss it if you live in Amsterdam!!

“A Soothing Song”
A Soothing Song is a video-sound installation for 12 screens by Monica Blok and Hadas Itzkovitch (both performers and visual artists) and was supported by an ECF artistic project grant. The installation gives an intimate glimpse of women from different cultures living in the Netherlands, in a captured moment of endearment with her child who has been born in this country. Musician Milan Gataric was invited by the artists to compose a ‘universal’ lullaby, based on elements from the different lullabies sung by the mothers. In a staged setting, the 12 films together create a total environment which envelopes the viewer in image and sound.
You can join the vernissage on September 10, 2009 at Imagine IC in Amsterdam or visit the exhibition till December 12

” Mama med this smal town in da center of bisiness aria in amsterdam ”

” dit is my bisiness town. A smal town voor smal peeple. And of course I am wearin’ a smal tie. I am da bisiness man, future power voor nederlands economie! ”

” When da weader went bad I had to escape to da bakfiets. ”

” Bildings escaped to anoder bakfiets too ”

” My vriend Billie came along ”

” She is older en knows more about economie. So we talked about Nederlands’ economic situations ”

” After da conference “

If it rains or starts raining in the middle of performance, the playground moves to the office of ABC (Amsterdam Bright City)

Go to the south side of station , turn right after a small bridge,  200m on the right side, opposit to Rabo bank.

You will see signs!!

Here is a google map to show where the Zuidas Blocks is going to be placed.

There are three spots in the map.

When the weather is just cloudy and dry it’s going to be location 1: outside Zuidplein (north side of station, in the corner of station and restaurant Wagamama)

When it is raining from the morning it’s going to be location 2: WTC building (ground floor, go left  from the reception desk near the escalator, space before big hall )

But it is not sure until the last moment if we can use the location 2. So I have reserved a space in the office of Amsterdam Bright City:  location 3(Claude Debussylaan 2-8)

Check the locations in the map. Each location is within 3 minutes work to each other.

This is a link to the event that I am showing Zuidas Blocks.

When: 4th June  9:00~18:00

Where: Zuidplein

Who: Toddlers and older, Baby’s should be attended by parents

On 4th June Thursday there will ba a conference in Zuidas. Amsteram Bright City (ABC) and Jeroen Boomgaard asked some artists to make art for that day.

I’m participating this event with an artistic playground for toddlers and older children in Zuidplein, north side of plein from  zuid WTC station. Some toddlers from neighboring daycare centers are invited to paly in this plyaground.

Any children are welcome at any time. Come and play with us!

Zuidas Blocks, performance

In Zuidas there are architecturally renowned office buildings, great public facilities and interesting art pieces… but no children are to be seen. Children, however are an essential part of our society and economy.  Zuidas Blocks will enable children to play a role in Amsterdam’s business center. An international group of toddlers in ties, symbolizing the economic world, will play with colorfully decorated miniature office buildings in the center of Zuidas. These model office buildings are made from discarded product packaging. Original logos have been incorporated in Inatome’s micro-world, mimicking the billboards and business names of the adult world. However, in this little economy everything is recycled. The entire performance brings into question the future influence of the youngest generation.