Going back in time: Daniel Gould’s 3D List, Art in Amsterdam #4

This is probably the last "active" weekend for Amsterdam galleries before the Christmas break. What that means to you is that you gotta do it NOW or hold your peace while the rest of the world celebrates and celebrates and celebrates something that they sometimes forget the spirit of...but that's another story.

There is also an opportunity to check out the activities of the Prince Clause Fund which will sponsor a series of events next week; there are five and range from an art exhibition to a book launch to an award event in which the lucky recipient will receive 100,000 euro. Something very unusual will take place tonight, Thursday, at the Noorderkerk. See below for details. 

INDEX: 

Bits & Pieces:
What You Missed Last Week:
What Is Happening This Week:

BITS & PIECES: 

Otto Nan, the CEO and co-owner of the Lloyd Hotel, has taken an initiative to promote the proposition that "he no longer accepts Het Stedelijk [museum] being closed." That action started Tuesday morning of this week "with the launch of an arrow on the building site...The arrow is inspired by the art work of Sigurdur Gudmundsson from 1977." Nan has also started "an SMS-campaign. He hopes that art lovers will text 'DOE IETS!' (Do Something) to cell number 4422. By sending the text message, the sender automatically donates 1.50 euro to the Stedelijk." More info: https://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/50929/stedelijk-doe-iets 
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Did you know that there are 18 million bikes in Holland for its 16.5 million people? "Bicycle Mania" by Shirley Agudo points this out. She has produced a 190 page book with 150 photos to illustrate the numbers. (Paperback, English/Dutch text, ISBN: 978.90.55.94.698.3, at 16 euro.) She is also participating in "Bicycle Mania" a photographic exhibition at Eudard Planting Fine Art Photography (Bloemdwarsstraat 4) until 17th December.
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These quotes come from The Club of Amsterdam Journal:

"I like men who have a future and women who have a past." Oscar Wilde.

"As to the future, your task is not to forsee it, but to enable it. "Antoine de Saint-Exupery."

"The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." Albert Einstein.

Read other quotes from Coco Chanel and Jim Rohn (Business philosopher) at: https://bit.ly/2nlASUj 
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The Rijksmuseum offers guided tours of the exhibition for "Hendrick Avercamp: The Little Ice Age," in English and led by "a seasoned museum guide...Every facet of Avercamp's paintings will be addressed." The cost is 5 euro. Make reservation during the week days: evenementen@rijksmuseum.nl
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Do you want to make a kimono?: The artist Q. Hisashi Shibata will show you how in her workshop on Saturday the 12th and the 19th., December. It cost 70 euro and that includes lunch. It is sponsored by Souterrain Amsterdam Center For Art. www.qhisashishibata.com.  
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"Nominate a company or an individual for the "Expat of the Year Award" offered by Expatica, the on-line English language "newspaper." Nominations will be accepted until 17:00, 31st December. Submit a nomination for any of the three award categories and you could win one of the ten iPod Nanos...Do you know of anyone whose achievements in the Expat Community deserves some recognition? There is a Catch-22. The award for an individual is 10,000 euro paid towards a MBA degree. That total cost is probably 25,000 euro, so if you win you will be 15,000 euro in the hole...but with an MBA maybe you can dig your way out. www.expatoftheyearaward.nl
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WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK: 

Thursday:

At "foam" was something called "foamLAB." 3D says "something" because I never figured out the central theme if, indeed, there was one. As you enter, you were offered a cocktail. There were three choices. The one 3D selected was made from ice cream, whiskey and "rooken worst" (smoked sausage). If there was whiskey, in the concoction, there wasn't enough to get the attention of a tea-tootler. The ice cream had melted and about the only flavor that came through was the "worst" and maybe that was for the "worst." Groan...I declined any more samples. 

Inside, on the ground floor gallery, was the same exhibition that was reviewed by the 3D List concerning the group show "In Reverse." There was an added feature and, in fact, you could NOT view the exhibition unless you participated. But that was easy. You were given earphones and a recorder device for an "audio tour." 3D asked for the English version. There was none. Nix that segment of the show. I then went to the floor above. As I entered, I saw a table filled with vegetables. Hmmm. There was a screen separating another section. I saw a man before the camera with a rubber pipe looking thing in his hand smiling at the camera. Okay...Time to move on. At the back gallery, you entered through a black curtain. Inside was a large photographic projection on the wall. 3D inquired as to what it was all about. A photographer, named Derek Vonk, explained that he had a series of slides and I could select one and be photographed so it would appear I was part of the composition/imagery. Sure, why not! But he selected the slide. He said I would be able to pick up a copy as I exited "foam" later. He did about five snaps total until he was satisfied. He asked if I minded if the photo was used to make a poster that would be hung about the city. Hey, like I'm a wanted man. Anyway, I said okay. (See photo reproduced here.)

A man was selling t-shirts heavy with typography. He had eight separate examples. One had been made especially for the show. It read: "what you don't see is what you don't get. unreal." [sic] Well, that seems straight forward enough except the two "don'ts," in the sentence, had been crossed out with a red line. So the actually text read, "what you see is what you get. unreal." Another read: "never mind. you'll get over it. it does not matter." [sic]. There were six crossed out words. What remained read, "mind. over. matter." [sic] The price was 30 euro each. https://whensevenbecomesfourteen.com/ 

Next, I headed for the basement to retrieve my coat. In the hallway, off the restaurant, I saw activity. I entered the room and saw packets of "pills" and plates of cut up sections of lemons, limes and other sour tasting fruit. It was suggested that I take a "pill" and chew it. Then try each of the fruits. I was told that they would ALL taste "sweet" instead of "sour." I passed on the offer. Don't like anything interfering with my taste buds. I did ask what the initiative had to do with photography and was told: "Nothing!" I think that this was a one night, one time event. There was a elaborate fold over brochure titled: "The Truth About Kirsten Wilmink" which may or may not have explained it all, but it was in Dutch only. 3D checked www.foamlab.nl but, again, only in Dutch. 
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Galerie De Op Steker (Noorderstraat 61) is exhibiting the oils on canvas of Els Ritman in a show titled " 'Ma Dourdouigne' (Mijn Dordogne)" Her style is post-impressionistic with vague imagery. The latter may be a leaf floating on a pond or a partial sketch of a tree in its surroundings. But the colors are not what you might expect. They tend to be either dark and/or subdued, however #5 is an exception because it is colorful in several shades and hues of red, but the composition has no focal point making it more interesting. There is a distinctive foreground and background, but it is hard to focus on either. Finally, there is a Renoir quality to the colorization that is attractive. (50x40 cms. oil on canvas @ 750 euro; 70x50 cms., oil on canvas @ 1,050 euro; 80x100 cms., oil on canvas @ 2,000 euro.) 
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Friday:

Galerie Mokum is showing the photographic work of Marie-Jeanne van Hövell tot Westerfloer. The subject matter could not be more appropriate for the time of year. It is Amsterdam at winter from a slushy Raad Huisstraat to skaters on the Keizersgracht to Vondel Park's frozen ponds. Everything is in b/w which makes the snow scenes even more captivating. She has a knack of finding all the photogentic canals scenes then framing a composition that makes it all the more spectacular. There are a few examples where the canal scene is devoid of automobiles and you come away with a feeling of having viewed a photo by Brietner taken circa 1880. The prices a very reasonable. (30x30 cms., Ed. 25 @ 250 euro; 40x50 cms., Ed 25 @ 350 euro.) 

It was also the occasion for a book presentation. In essence it is a catalog of the show, but to make it both more interesting and introspective there are a total of 43 contributors who have written either text or a poem that related to the photos. Both Job Cohen, Amsterdam's current mayor (he wrote an essay and a poem) and Ed van Thijn, a former mayor, contributed along with the recently deceased Simon Vinkenoog (poet), Jenny Arean (actress) and Iki Freud (psychoanalyst), Charlotte Mutaers (writer) to Jan Six (c1650). The latter probably was commenting that not much has changed in Amsterdam during the last 400 years. (104 pages. Dutch only. ISBN: 978.90.78.38.14.19. @ 18.50 euro.) 
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Saturday:

A tour of the world continues at Mediamatic BANK (Vijzelstrat 68) with an opening of six new pavilions in the "Bienalle" series (there was meant to be a seventh but Japan had been crossed out without explanation). Let's begin with St. Petersburg which features an "animated" still cartoon about three young girls. The balloon captions were in Russian, but there were English subtitles with rock and roll music via earphones. The story itself is about a "green monster" (a giant green frog) that terriorizes the three ladies. On the floor is a "corpse" or so 3D first thought. As I studied the prone straw stuffed figure more closely, I saw an empty vodka bottle clutched in its hand. Aha! A passed-out Russian straw man. Never saw this in the Wizard of Oz.

Seoul is an installation which consist mostly of objects dangling from strings suspended from the ceiling: a bag of puffed rice; a plastic fish; rice cakes; a cigarette sign, et al. You were also served "Seoul street food" which has an amazing resemblance to sushi, but admittedly, a different taste. Also a very small bleaker of a amber colored liquid. Someone said it was NOT sake, but didn't know what it was exactly. Hey, it went down smoothly.

Studtgard was a surprise. Who would have expected "street food" from the Germans? But that's what you got, however you had to work for it both physically and emotionally. You sat down in front of a small cubicle and draped a curtain around your back. Before you was a desk like table and a list of 16 "instructions" on what you are expected to do and how to do it. Well, that is typical German. You prepare your own "street food," that's the physical. The "emotional" is that you must: "Think of something that you are ashamed of, something that you would like to keep hidden and collect all of the pasta letters that are needed to describe the secret." The "pasta letters" are multicolored and there is 26 very small plastic cups each containing several examples of each letter of the alphabet. Well, 3D still ain't talking about deep dark secrets. Not to mention that he's not a person of a few words. So I passed on that part. Next, I was directed to take a "sheet of pasta" from "the fridge" which was a Styrofoam picnic cooler and also to remove a carton containing the "filling" (vegetarian). I made my "tortilla" like "broodge" and put it, as directed, into the pot with simmering vegetable broth. There was a kitchen "timer" on the table and you were told to set it at 12 minutes. I wrote my notes during this period. (See photo) When the timer rang its bell I hardly heard it since I was sitting below a loud speaker blaring a steady diet of salsa music. Oh yeah, there was also a throw away camera and you were instructed to photograph your edible creation. I tried, but there was no flash so I guess no picture was taken. I wolfed down the finish dish with relish...I was hungry. 

Bogota has divided its two by two meter space into walls formed by two intersecting large sheets of plywood thus producing four to eight walls (two perpendicular walls were sometimes used as one). Of the latter, there was a label that described it as: "Migratory modern bureaucracy." Written in black ink, on the wall was "Justitie" and a stylized drawing of "Lady Justice." Then there were the several hundred hemming pins with plastic rounded and colorful heads which formed letters which inturn formed words that read: "Eeen og en blik Geduld Alstublieft." (translated: " Hold on a minute, please.") The other walls also had statements. 

Toronto was a bonaza for the collector. At the rear and on the wall of the two by two cubicle was a montage of posters. Along each side wall was a stack of each of the posters and they were offered as take aways. Cool. The subject matter ranged from collages to photographs to typography. 

Next week there is a final presentation which will close the show. (See below) Don't miss it! 
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WHAT IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK: 

Reminder: ...Is the same as always...When you see (?) it indicates that the info may be incorrect; and the "*" always means for you to check the times before you go. Over and out...

THURSDAY: 10th December, 2009
THURSDAY: 10th December, 2009 

19-23:00 Lloyd Hotel (@Noorderkerk, Prinsengracht/Brouwersgracht). "The Extra Light Project: Installation." Well, it is hard to explain, but 3D will be there basically because in all my years in this city I have never been in this Church and I'm curious about it and this "installation" religious like concept. https://www.mediamatic.net/nl/page/134472/the-extra-light-project 

19:00 ArtNPublic (Amstelveensweg 136). "Construction Work," Alicja Bielawske, Barbara Amalie, Skiovmand Thomsen and Ulla Eriksen.  

20:00 Steim (Utrechtdwarsstraat 134 or 194, the typography is difficult to read). "BEIJING UNDERGROUND. "The participants: Zhang Jiang, Yan Jun and Xiao He. New music style. Entry: 5 euro. http://steim.org/ 

FRIDAY: 11th December
FRIDAY: 11th December

13:30-17:30 NIMk (Keizersgracht 264) A workshop: "Media Playgrounds presents artistic and creative ways of dealing with broadcast media, from community media practitioners, professionals artists to young creatives." FREE. Registration required: elena@nimk.nl 

17-21:00 Chellerie (Raamgracht 58). "LFTFLD." A group show of about 14 artists who are or have been contributors to the FREE graphic/photographic/cultural guide magazine. An after party will take place at Het Schuim of de Spuistraat at 22:00. https://bit.ly/2N8q2y7 

18-20:00 KAHMANN GALLERY (Lindengracht 35). "IMAGINE...A colection of contemporary and vintage photographs." https://www.kahmanngallery.com/ 

19:00 Premsela (N.B. @ ACB Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11). Nina Chakrabarti, Illustrator. She will give a public interview and present her new book "My Wonderful World of Fashion" which "champions amateurism by encouraging young women to design their own clothes and accessories."  

19-22:00 Arti et Amicitiae (Rokin 112). A group show with a "Salon Feest" (21:30) featuring the jazz-folk trio "de Bohemjenz" and the dj Gabriel. https://www.arti.nl/ 

20:00 De Brakke Grond (Nes 45). Michaël Aerts, "Please Please Me." With "theatrical sculptures, subtle drawings and a completely equipped SM-darkroom." Well..."The drawings and SM-darkroom" are concerned with "Bondage and other forms of rough sex." So, be warned. https://bit.ly/1Th5K2k 

20-'til late: Basisburo (Tolstraat 129). "First We Take Manhattan," "DOGtime 4 show." Gerrit Rietveld Academie students. A group show of 25+ "future" artists. No web-site on invite.

20:30 NIMk (Keizersgracht 264). Video screenings..."Where you can explore some remarkable artistic appraoches, consequences and interpretations of the online moving image and live cinema." Full program at: https://bit.ly/2L9OmCe 

20:30 PUNTWG (M.v.B. Bastiaansestraat 15). Nina Boas: installation, drawings and performance. https://puntwg.nl/ 

21:00 W139 (Warmoesstraat 139). Dafna Maimon, "EXTRA'S." https://bit.ly/2JitdRx 

SATURDAY: 12th December
SATURDAY: 12th December 

12-18:00 WG EXPOZAAL (M.v.B. Bastiaansestraat 28). A Christmas sale...and that's all she wrote. Would 3D be correct that it is "art" that is being offered on sale? Also on Sunday. 

15:30-18:30 LUX Photographic Gallery (Het Sieraad, Postjeweg 1). The occasion is "the opening of the new gallery space, the new office of a legal practice (Schilt Advocatuur and Mediation) and the launch of the new publishing house, Schilt Publishing." Showing in the gallery is the photographic work of Lucia Ganieva and Ferit Kuyas (Turkey). http://www.luxphotogallery.com/ 

(?) 16-18:00* BORZO Modern & Contemprary Art (Keizersgracht 516). Leon Adriaans, "Farmer and painter from Brabant..." If I understand it correctly. https://bit.ly/2maQxaC 

(?) Galerie D. Stigter (WElandstraat 90). Group show. https://bit.ly/2LcyITk 

(?)18-20:00 Art Affairs (Veemkade 354). Jan van Munsters, "Brainwaves, in New York." https://bit.ly/2LfBlnI 

20-'til late: Petersburg Project Space (Frans de Wollantstraat 84). "Grand Finale," PPS gotta go...the space is "op!" They are leaving in a "Grand Style Finale" with acts, djs and maybe even a little art. https://bit.ly/2mdimz6 

20:00 Mediamatic BANK (Vijzelstraat 68). "Standing Room Only." Well, sure. Last week, the dance floor was gone and this week, with the opening of Leeds, Nicosia, Tehran, Tokyo and the Rio de Janerio pavilions..."its going to be a night of Minimal space but Maximum experience." DJs, live music and "art everywhere." https://bit.ly/2vC2IzX   3D thinks. They left off their web-site address on the invite...But, that's Mediamatic...as they are wont to say...(Well, 3D e-mailed them about this and got this in return: www.mediamatic.net/page/129871/en. Oh, yeah. this completes "The Amsterdam Biennale 2009," so you better GO or you won't ever never KNOW! Kid you not.

20:00 SEELEVEL Photographic Gallery (TrouwAmsterdam, Wibautstraat 127). "Rendition" is the name of the show and the gallery is promoting itself as an "online gallery." However, they are having an opening at this address. Six photographers plus DJs. 

SUNDAY: 13th December
SUNDAY: 13th December 

12-18:00 Prince Claus Fund (@UvA, Kloveniersburgwal 48, VOC room). Book presentation for "Darfur and the Crisis of Governance in Sudan," by Salan Hassan. Discussion top follow led by Karin Willemse. https://bit.ly/2LhADq4    

12-18:00 WG EXPOZAAL (See Saturday) 

14-18:00 YDkunstuitleen (Quillijnstraat 127). "Denk Raam," by Fabrice Hund. Always a party. 

14-17:00 STORM Galerie (Derde Oosterparkstraat 201). "Instant ArtGathering" [sic]. A group show of 20+ artists. https://bit.ly/2NK5T2l 

15:00 "Gamelanhuis" (Pakhuis Wilhelmina, Veemkade 578). A musical program centered around the Gong Tirta, an Indonesian percussion instrument. The program will include both western style music and Balinese. Entry is 5 euro which includes drinks and "hapjes." Reservation: gongtirta@gmail.com 

16:00 Lloyd Hotel (Oostelijke Handelskade 34). Presents "InVINcible," with Vincent de Boer. no web-site on invite. 

16-20:00 ABC Treehouse (Voetboogstraat 11). Xstreets Collective presents "We Are Here." A group exhibiting with artists who go by aliases such as: IVES.one, Zaira, Skate, Karma83, MLSS, etc. Expect photography, art and an installation that "will make you smile." 

16-18:00 Galerie Wies Willemsen (Ruysdaelkade 25). Dirk Koopman, paintings and drawings; Frederike Doeleman, ceramic objects. https://bit.ly/1ClAtnL 

16-18:00 Wijnhuis Belgerette (NZ Voorburgwal 137). Gregoria Vallejo, drawings and paintings. No web-site on invite. 

20:00 SmartProjectSpace (Arie Biemondstraat 105). "Moving through Secondhand Sources,"a performance by artist Paul Hendrikse, performer and theater maker Hester van Hasselt and actress Carola Bärtschiger. It corresponds with the "Hauntology of Smoke and Ochre" exhibition now on view at SPS. FREE. At 17:30, there is a book launch and artist talk. The book: "Dacha." The artist: Ksenia Galiaeva. https://bit.ly/2ufXTyc 

20:00 De Brakke Grond (Nes 45) "De Appel arts centre" presents "Part three 'BAND' performance/film screening." Also on Monday, same time. Part 2 of the exhibition "grey-blue grain" is on view from 12th December till 31st January at Kunstverein (Ruysgstraat 4). 

MONDAY: 14th December
MONDAY: 14th December 

13:00 The Prince Claus Fund and Mediamatic BANK (Vijzelsstraat 68) will present Jorge Villacorta who will "speak on the subject of the particularizes on cultural spaces in the Andes." In English. He will be interviewed, also, by Xander Karstens, curator of De Hallen, Haarlem. Reservation: s.vandersangen@princeclausfund.nl 

17:15 Prince Claus Fund (Herengracht 603). Liang Shaoij, Chinese conceptual artist.."Creates unique mediation's on nature and human existence...Drawn to raw silk [he] incorporates them [worms] in artworks by setting them to spin their thread around objects." https://bit.ly/2LhADq4   

TUESDAY: 15th December
TUESDAY: 15th December 

16:30-18:00 KunstENhuis (Polonceaukade 28...a long walk from #23, but that's another story). This is a "creative networking part for freelancers, makers and people in the creative sector." Three presentations: Marieke Hunze & Brenda Jonker; 2. Jitske de Gelder & Vincent Henar; 3. Annette Schautt. In Dutch. w

17-19:00 "witzenhausen GALLERY" (Hazenstraat 60). "In the Woods," Pépé Smit's exhibition is the first of five one week presentations under the title "Undiciplines." "Showing artists who produce video parallel to their own discipline." RSVP: info@witzenhausengallery.nl, https://bit.ly/2zCqZwM 

WEDNESDAY: 16th December
WEDNESDAY: 16th December 

16:00 Prince Claus Fund (@Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ). The 100,000 euro prize from the fund will be awarded to Simon Vélez, an architect from Columbia. RSVP: s.vandersangen@princeclausfund.nl 

THURSDAY: 17th December
THURSDAY: 17th December

12-13:00 Prince Claus Fund (@Zuiderkerk, Zuiderkerkhof 72). "Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst" presents a lunch and talk for Simon Vélez. RSVP: s.vandersangen@princeclausfund.nl, https://bit.ly/2LhADq4 

20:00 BeemsterArtCentre (Sint Nicolaasstraat 21). The closing of the exhibition by Adil Elsanousi and Gregory Koheter. Paul Faber a conservator for the Africa Tropen Museum will talk. No web-site on invite.

FRIDAY: 18th December
FRIDAY: 18th December

16:30 The Rijksmuseum opens an ice skating rink, on the pond, behind the museum. It will be followed, afterwards, with wine and "hapjes" in the museum's Philips' wing. 
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There you have it. Lots and lots more to take your mind off the coming holiday season when you will probably eat and drink too much. This week is an excellent opportunity to find the perfect Christmas gift for someone you love. And remember, it is never to early to introduce your children, nieces and nephews and/or grandchildren to the joys of art. There will be countless Christmases long after you have departed this beautiful city when they will be reminded of the "special present" they got 40 years ago...And that's NOW on 3D's calendar. 

Anyone see a guy with a sleigh and reindeer? Maybe 3D can leave the bike at home and hop a ride with him...

Photos: 1) "Oh! Hi, sweetheart...aaaah, no one...Just aaaa...telemarketer." Photo by Derek Vonk "foamLAB" , 2) Mediamatic BANK. A perplexed 3D: "Damn! How do you spell posti,' 'poste,' 'pasto,' 'pasti'...Whatever...Where is the spelling corrector when you need it? Damn, again!" Photo by Gosia Stepien

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