Rotterdam Cultural Histories #15: Orphaned Sculptures and Public Favourites

‘Art is elitist’ is a common accusation levelled at art: a ‘taste terror’ that nobody wants, imposed by ‘so-called experts’. ‘Citizens are always obstructive when it comes to art’, is a common suspicion from the other side. It is for this reason that some call art and public participation incompatible. Rotterdam Cultural Histories #15 told a rather different story.

Exhibition

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Three examples showed how the people of Rotterdam cherish their city’s sculptures, lobbying and campaign for them and, if necessary, adopting them.

The presentation revolved around ‘Jan Gat’ (the popular name for Ossip Zadkine’s ‘The Destroyed City’), ‘Kabouter Buttplug’ (Paul McCarthy’s ‘Santa Claus’), and ‘De Witte Bollen’ (Hans van der Plas’s ‘Cells’). A selection from the wealth of emotions, opinions, news reports, and campaigns concerning these sculptures was highlighted. Rather than prioritising the perspective of artists or policymakers, this presentation was guided by the responses and views of fellow citizens.

This presentation was realised with input from:
Peter Buisman, Stichting De Witte Bollen
Jeanne Hogenboom, Vereniging de Binnenweg
Dees Linders and Sannetje van Haarst, SIR
Caro van der Pluijm and Siebe Thissen, BKOR

Rotterdam Cultural Histories
In Shared Space, our shared exhibition space on the second floor, TENT and Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art alternatingly create presentations on subjects from the history of art and culture in Rotterdam. This collaborative series was conceived by Defne Ayas (Witte de With) and Mariette Dölle (TENT) in 2014 to explore the common roots of both institutions in Rotterdam.

artists

Exhibition