Art Events in Rotterdam
Yesterday was a day of art events in Rotterdam. First an opening for Michal, the local artist I’ll be collaborating with. It was a small event, but I met a number of interesting people. My plan was to ride my bike from the opening to the opposite side of Rotterdam to attend an event which involved open studios and tours of local galleries and project spaces. Luckily, a few from this first event were going so I joined them in the car. I’m glad I did since the weather was cold and wet. It was also much further than I had anticipated.
On the way, we stopped at a gallery where one of the people with us works. The gallery had a small fluxus show on display. The show was nice and the building, a converted farm house, was nice, but I was most enthralled with the Rooster that lives in the gallery. The entire time I was there he sat on the pipes above the exhibit. I feel that more galleries should include pet roosters. I think it could make each gallery a bit more memorable.
Afterward, we went to an abandoned school which had been converted into artist studios. There was an auction, bands, and open studios. Nothing was too memorable, apart from the room you had to crawl under to get into. It was built in a studio and housed a band and a small bar. It was a good idea, except that it was filled with smokers and little, or no, ventilation.
Next, we stopped by another gallery/project space. They were about to close, but let us in to take part in a “workshop” where we each responded to framed drawings people had made of their neighborhoods. It was a bit more interesting since I didn’t understand any of the Dutch labeling on the drawings. I’m sure my description was more interesting because of this.
Finally, I was talked into joining Michal for a couple of after events for the Rotterdam film festival. These weren’t anything unique, just a lot of people drinking and too much noise. I’m glad I got to see a bit of the festival culture, but ultimately was more interested in sleep. We’ll see what adventures tomorrow will bring.
