For the Slogans for Rotterdam project, author, and fourth generation Rotterdammer, Elfie Tromp invites more than thirty Rotterdammers to make a statement for the Rotterdam of the future. The slogans – by artists, thinkers, writers, and also a barkeeper and a student – are presented by Tromp at TENT to form a collection of images and text that describe, question, or comment on Rotterdam. The slogans are also available online via TENT’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
The project was inspired by Douglas Coupland’s Slogans for the 21st Century, a growing series of statements in which he tries to isolate the mindset of the twenty-first century from that of the twentieth. The emphasis for Coupland is on the changing zeitgeist, whereas at TENT, the city of Rotterdam is the starting point. Is Rotterdam’s current slogan, ‘Make it Happen’, still appropriate to this time, or can we present a better motto to Rotterdam’s Mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb?
Slogans for Rotterdam coincides with Utopian Dreams, a group exhibition at TENT that collates a dozen historical and contemporary future fantasies on Rotterdam, including Elfie Tromp, who, live during the exhibition, will formulate her future. Slogans for Rotterdam runs from 18 May to 10 July 2016 at TENT Rotterdam.
programme:
15.00-16.00h:
Douglas Coupland reveals his slogan
Samuel Saelemakers (curator Witte de With) talks with Elfie Tromp and Douglas Coupland
16.00-17.00h:
Workshop writing slogans with Mwah