Culture
Amsterdam canals illuminated
“Neighborhood” by Sergey Kim
Our favorite… laundry hangs to dry on outside lines just as though it was a warm summer day. The glowing white clothes consist of a collection of blouses, t-shirts, pants, dresses, and underwear. Adding to the clothing assortment is a pair of Turkish pants, a Moroccan djellaba, and a traditional Jewish dress. These pieces, together with the “common attire”, point to the ethnic mix of Amsterdam’s residents. Spread among a number of houseboats, this installation engages viewers to think about the city’s unique cityscape.
Image courtesy of: This Is Colossal, photographed by: Janus van den Eijnden
Illuminated art installations lit up Amsterdam this winter, in celebration of the city’s eighth annual Light Festival. For a city that is, in the winter, dark for sixteen hours a day, the festival is a wonderful way to bring people outside to enjoy their city and some beautiful art.
“Butterfly Effect”, by Masamichi Shimada
In this installation, seven giant butterflies sit on the canal’s surface. Their wings fall and rise with the water’s movement and the wings glow blue against the night’s sky.
Image courtesy of: This Is Colossal, photographed by: Janus van den Eijnden
Each year, the show has a theme and this year, it was “DISRUPT!” Artists from around the world submit designs and a jury selects the imaginative creations that are lucky enough to light up the city.
The theme asked artists to reflect upon climate change, national history, and technology. Each of the artists presented their own take on the theme; some titles were: “Big Bang”, “Butterfly Effect”, and “Order Disorder.”
“AD Empty Domination” by M. Watjer, J. Pielkenrood, and W. Brand
This installation by three Dutch women featured two enlarged billboards empty of advertisements. Typically displaying outdoor advertisements, the boxes are marked by emptiness.
Image courtesy of: Amsterdam Light Festival
Some artists choose to use existing architecture while others choose to present works that might make us realize the effect we have on nature and climate. The open-air exhibition is now in its eight year and “DISRUPT!” proved to be an intense topic that challenged the various artists.
“Hiding in the Wolf’s Lair” by Republic of Amsterdam Radio and Nomad Tinker House
The four lit-up wolves appear above a group of people that are hidden in the attic of one of the zoo’s wooden buildings along the water. Lions, elephants, and giraffes are common in zoos; but seeing wolves roaming around isn’t. An important piece of information is that in 2013 an envelope containing poems written by World War II resistance fighters was discovered between the roof tiles of these former storage homes.
Image courtesy of: My Modern Met, photographed by: Janus van den Eijnden
The chance to view the installations can be done either by bike, foot, or via a boat. With so many hours of darkness, the illuminated installations are lit from 5 PM until 11 PM… providing visitors with plenty of time to peruse the twenty arrangements. Using a phone app, viewers can guide themselves through the city center and through the more “difficult to find” artworks.
“Surface Tension” by Tom Biddulph and Barbara Ryan
This installation tells the story of a journalist passing through a flooded city. Reporting on the devastating flood via boat, it is an image that, unfortunately, is not uncommon in today’s news. Trees, electricity polls, and roofs peek out above the surface while cars and personal belongings float along the canal.
Image courtesy of: My Modern Met, photographed by: Janus van den Eijnden
What a wonderful idea to brighten up winter for fifty three days… Amsterdam is always glorious, but it truly turns into a “treasure trove” of color and light during the city’s light festival each winter!
