Maar de klad zit in de gedrukte letteren en de zaak fuseerde. En van groot kwam groter nood. Nu ligt het assortiment door elkaar. Boeken leunen op elkaars kaft. Het zijn hun laatste dagen. De economie maalt niet op gespecialiseerde cultuur. De straat buiten toont het contrast met deze teloorgang.
De omliggende zaken met flinterdunne eendagskleding bruisen van leven. Publiek sjokt afgestompt langs de letteren, zelfs een halve meter grote verkondiging van de korting draait niet hun hoofd. In deze straat wint de ondernemer die ver weg met een klik op de knop de winkel vol laat stromen met producten geselecteerd uit een lijst van iconen.
Verderop poseert een meisje in het etalagelicht van een zaak voor haar smartphone. Die nieuwe armband zal haar FaceBookstatus verhogen. Het lezen vervliegt tot zweven over foto's. Het grootste onderwerp is ' Profiel Ik'. De boeken wachten nog eenmaal op een nieuwe bestemming. Een vrachtwagen zal ze ophalen voor verpulvering tot een verhandelbare grondstof.
Bedrukt sla ik een achterweg in en passeer een nog levende boekenenclave. Een winkel adverteert een bookpress in de etalage. Maak en print zelf je boek desnoods in oplage één. Een uitkomst voor wie het I culture online ontgroeit.
In the beginning there was nothing, but then there was a sharp pitched sound followed by a rattling noise that ended with aand then silence. Letters scrolled on a black screen"Welkom bij de Digitale Stad".
There are hardly any screen captures of these computer moments. Yet the fact that any one with a modem could call a number in Amsterdam Netherlands to get free access to the internet was a huge step.
It was still the pre web days, internet was text oriented. Instead of hoovering with a mouse one wandered through text menus, typed the corresponding numbers opened a link.
All changed in 1994 when world wide web became the buzzword; For the first time ever one could actually immediately see images instead of first downloading a file. The black screen with letters became obsolete while more and more complex novelties refined the web experience.
In 1997 DDS invited me to create two games to visualize two city referendums. One referendum was about the building of IJburg, now a new city quarter build in the eastern IJ entrance. The other was about the North South metro. In this game a yes vote removed sand and builded the metro a no vote reversed the process.
The scripts stayed on-line at the DDS years after the referendum, until the DDS transformed into a new organisation with a major overhaul of server software.
<-- Click the icon to see the frames as movie. ]]>Saturday 27 Oct 14:00 Finisage, with exposition tour by Aloys Ginjaar
Following its great success at the Photoville Festival in New York last June, the Group Exhibition The Wonder of Woman will be presented for the first time in Amsterdam on Saturday 22 September till 27 October 2012 .
Through a variety of formats, subjects, photographic techniques and colors, the participating artists offer a unique kaleidoscopical view on women and femininity. A truly unique representation of contemporary Dutch Photography curated by Aloys Ginjaar.
This ‘one of a kind’ group exhibition will be held at Galerie Fontana Fortuna's new location right next to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Museumplein and PC Hooftstraat.
Hobbemastraat 14 - 1071 ZB Amsterdam
A unique 1903 villa entirely dedicated to Art.
Open: Wed-Thu-Fri-Sat
from 12.00 - 5.00 p.m. or on appointment
See also external website: Galerie Fontana Fortuna
Tuesday: The summer is kicking in, tomorrow we will set up the exhibition at 36C. I should take a relax day. Not that I was ever successful in doing nothing away from home, too much curiosity. But there is an ultimate chill touristic attraction that I planned. Combined with a visit to a friend it seems impossible to get tired today; Staten Island by Ferry for a tea visit uphill. The ferry leaves from south Manhattan and the appointment is set at late afternoon. That gives plenty of time to walk from China town to the pier, enjoy Chinese music in Columbus park, visit the Native American museum and of course run into a small news Item. About more than 500 teenagers are waiting at a record store where Justin Bieber will sign his latest cd. I grab a few shots. A few blocks further on there is wall street. And he look there is still an Occupy Group in front of Wall-street. And there at the end of the street I see the sea. A copper green dressed Indian woman passes by a copper green lady liberty dressed up street artist. At the horizon is a tiny statue alone on an island. The ferry is crowded with tourists. The visit to a friend at Staten Island becomes a micro holiday.
As soon as I'm back into Manhattan metro stress kicks in. the system is chaotic and Fulton station should be for health reasons clearly marked with a warning: do not use to switch trains when tired. Yes I got lost to find myself hours later at the hotel that is walking distance just one hour from Fulton.
Wednesday: The weather is hot and hotel desks discourages the walk over the Brooklyn bridge, rather take a cab. As european I wave the cab and pul the front door open to see the driver shiver. Have a seat in the back. While there are hardly signs of crime in the center of NY (broken car glass, empty wallets and so on ) there are plenty omens of NY being prepared for what once was. The backseat is shielded by thick acrylic glass from the driver. I lean back and let me drive in airco style to the exhibition ground in Brooklyn park.
The organization provided; Cotton gloves, water, suncream and paper towels. The last turn out to be as essential as the water. In blazing sun steal shipping containers form a temporary gallery village at a tarmac field that used to be inland at the harbor pier.
While drinking plenty, it gives the effect of a punched water bag, every zip drips of the skin. In turn we swipe our faces while the other handles the prints. Astrid, Speer, Aloys and I could have finished in one day, if there was a siesta. Instead we end up in the early afternoon in some kind of trendy bar in Brooklyn. After one drink I leave. At 18:00 there is a performance by upcomming rap talent at the Bowery Poetry Club. At the hotel I discover the ice-cube machine, a few minutes later I roll like a lost penguin trough the ice cubicles in the bathroom. After that I fall asleep.
Thursday: The next day my fellow exhibition team starts early. When I arrive they are dazed. The the tarmac field become a 24h heatsource, at 11:00 when sun heat kicks in it gets unbearable. Still we are the first to finish our build-up even while we have one of the most works on show. Linda Troeller has invited us tonight for champagne at the legendary hotel Chelsea. She has made an documentary about the building and habitants while it was still in use. Nowadays the buildings is renovated while a few artist still live there. It is an unique experience not only to see Linda her work but also eyewitness the last of Chelsea old glory bathing in sunset light. After sunset I leave for dinner a few minutes later I find myself glazing at the wowing views from the high pathway over early night New York. It is the coolest spot to spent a summer evening, lots of people hag around on the trail. There is even a skybox to watch the stream of car traffic lights.
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Saturday: Arrived
in town. Strange to see the television world in reality. Manhattan
is a size smaller than expected, the only thing that makes going from
airport to town a long experience are the traffic congestion’s. Due to
time shift it is still midday when I arrive at Chinatown. A concert
of ambulance and firetruck sirens welcomes me. The neighborhood blasts colors ,shops are covered with Asian characters, the sight is impressive. The silly tourist warning avoid
hotels in china town because of fish smell is over screamed by the
massive odeur of cars.
Behind the great impression are the smaller ones, the boulevard with trees and birds that manages to express silence while hosting a busy sport playground. Men give a chines lady a weirdo look because she stretches and exercise in the the park. So much for NY being used to craziness. Nobody wears jewelry except for watches.
Sunday: I want to check out the International Center of Photography and Salmagundi a sister artist society of my hometown club Arti. Armed with a metro card I dive in and surface again to nibble the apple and to submerge again a few blocks further. The weather is perfect for photography, since I will help setting up the Wonder of Woman expo there will hardly be time for tourism. So I do the impossible and pass by Time square and stick to the two must see I picked at home . Grand Station is one them. As a child I saw a cartoon of the station in one of my fathers collection of comic books. The high arched windows made an impression I wanted to see for real.
On the outside the station has a mini skirt of car roads surrounding the building at floor one. Inside the space is impressive. while hosting more than 100 tracks and a variety rail services from long track up to metro it still feels spacious and peaceful. Next show I have in NY I will reserve time to take the guided tour through the building.
Monday: Today I continue to look into the gallery scene. After hours walking in west Manhattan I finally spot a gallery in Soho, Symbolic Collection. They have a huge exhibition with Ronnie Wood's work. It feels like home, since I know his work from a former neighbor gallery at my home town. The owner is relaxed and helpfull, we chat about the successful of Ronnie Wood's exhibitions. Art industry is about selling but these moments prove art itself is about enjoying and celebrating an emotion, esthetics and or mutual thought.
His friendly suggested gallery route continues through an area where artists are starving for success on the sidewalk. They have food but no success. There are many variations of being a star in New York.
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The photo series Copy Kittens by Mathilde µP will be shown in New York at The Wonder of Woman exhibition. And is part of a larger hosting event named Photoville. This contemporary gallery village in Brooklyn Bridge Park will host an international selection of photography. Aloys Ginjaar from the Netherlands was invited as partner curator. He selected 28 photographers from his home country to participate in The Wonder of Woman.
Copy Kittens by Mathilde µP is one of the works presented. The series started as profile photos on Facebook, they show a human touch without sacrificing privacy. As a twist Mathilde µP used herself as canvas and redecorated the location for each photo. The end results are fictitious women and habitats showing social trends in female attitude in different times.
Mathilde µP will be present at the show June 22 – 24
22 June at 4pm the The Wonder of Woman will be opened by the consul general of the Netherlands.
The Wonder of Woman & Photoville: 22 June till 1 July 2012
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 3, New York
Opening times: Friday June 22: 4pm – 10pm // Saturday June 23: 11am - 10pm // Sunday June 24: 11am - 7pm
Thursday June 28: 4pm – 10pm // Friday June 29: 4pm – 10pm // Saturday June 30: 11am – 10pm //
Sunday July 1: 11am - 7pm
List of participants in The Wonder of Woman :
Aloys Ginjaar - Annelies Rigter - Astrid Verhoef - Barend Houtsmuller - Bianca van der Werf - Carli Hermes - Cornelia Nauta - Dutch J. den Hollander - Frank van Delft & Karin Gunnarsson - Gon Buurman - Govert de Roos - Jaap Bijsterbosch - Jenny Boot - Lenny Moeskops & Diederick Ingel - Lieve Prins - Lilith - Maartje Roos - Martin Dijkstra - Mathilde µP (muPe) - Nancy Schoenmakers - Paul Tolenaar - Rinze van Brug - Roger Neve - Shakiro Werleman - Speer - Susanne Middelberg - Suzan van de Roemer - Tara Fallaux
See also: www.facebook.com/PhotovilleTheWonderOfWoman
]]>Het woord afscheid is een breed begrip; het kan positief of negatief zijn. Het was aan de auteurs om zelf invulling te geven aan dat woord. Zo verbeeldt F. Starik een moment van 'jas aan en omdraaien' en Theodor Holman het weemoedig terugdenken aan bezochten steden.
De expositie in het Pintohuis is ook een moment om de dreigende sluiting van de Pintohuis bibliotheek eind 2012 onder de aandacht te brengen. Deze sluiting gaat ten koste van de buurt.
Het monumentale Pintohuis was in de jaren zestig en zeventig de inzet waarmee bewoners de totale afbraak van hun buurt konden voorkomen. In de jaren zeventig en negentig is het pand gerenoveerd en opnieuw voorzien van plafond schilderingen en kwam het in gebruik als bibliotheek. Naast het voorzien in boeken draagt het Pintohuis bibliotheek bij aan de buurtcohesie en stadscultuur. Juist omdat de Nieuwmarkt buurt na vele decennia van verval weer een plek is waar jongen gezinnen naar toe verhuizen juist daarom moet de bibliotheek blijven.
U kunt de bibliotheek steunen door deze te bezoeken, dan kunt u meteen de exposities bekijken.
Pinto bibliotheek St. Antoniesbreestraat 69, Amsterdam
geopend: maandag 14.00 – 20.00, woensdag 10.00 - 17.30
, vrijdag 10.00 – 17.30, zaterdag 11.00 - 16.00
Zie voor meer informatie over de Serie Schrijvers en Afscheid http://mathilde.mupe.nl/photo_projects/Schrijvers_Afscheid/index.htm
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