ARTZUID 2011 an International Sculpture Exhibition in a Unique Cultural Heritage Setting

AMSTERDAM.- In 2008 Cintha van Heeswijck-Veeger established Foundation ArtZuid. She took the initiative to draw greater attention to the urban expansion plan (1917) of architect H.P. Berlage known as the Plan-Zuid in Amsterdam, by organising a high-quality international sculpture exhibition named ARTZUID. This world-class platform for sculpture added a jewel to Amsterdam’s crown of leading cultural events. ARTZUID 2009 was successful with 90,000 visitors.

The second edition ARTZUID 2011 takes place between 26 May to 28 August 2011. The opening ceremony was on 26 of May in front of the Hilton Hotel at the Apollolaan in Amsterdam. Once again, the stately avenues of Berlage, Apollolaan and Minervalaan became the unique setting for fifty sculptures by internationally renowned artists. The sculptures were displayed against a backdrop of the exceptional architecture of the Amsterdam School. The route is being extended to include the financial business district Zuidas.

Dutch Queen Beatrix opens the exhibition ArtZuid 2011 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 26 May 2011. The exhibition runs from 27 May to 28 August 2011. EPA/EVERT ELZINGA.

Curator JAN CREMER turns Amsterdam into a GLOBAL CITY of SCULPTURES
Foundation ArtZuid has chosen the famous writer and artist Jan Cremer to present his selection of sculptures. Cremer caused a revolution in the sixties with his behavior and his bestseller, ‘I, Jan Cremer’. It was the starting point for the sexual revolution in western Europe.

For ARTZUID 2011 Cremer used his experiences as an artist and journalist. He is always on the lookout for something new, a real adventurer. Already, at a young age, he was the assistant of Karel Appel and Lotti van der Gaag in France. He followed the lessons of Marino Marini and Ossip Zadkine. In the sixties he went to live in New York and became a close friend of Willem de Kooning. He was a great admirer of Jean Tinguely.

His selection of sculptures is characterized by monumental works. Sculptures that impress, confront and touch your emotions. Cremer turns Amsterdam temporarily into a Global City of Sculptures. With his choice he refers to the Dutch maritime and trading history of the seventeenth century, especially to the history of the V.O.C. and W.I.C., the world’s first multinational). The Dutch had trading posts in Ghana, South-Africa, Brazil, Suriname, Curaçao, United States, India, Indonesia, China and Japan. The artists chosen are working in the tradition and history of their own country. Cremer has also made a selection of European modern and contemporary artists. Ultimately, when we take a close look at the population of Amsterdam nowadays, we can conclude that substantial communities from these trading countries are living in our capital. These communities are in a way, witnesses of the Dutch trading history and part of the Dutch cultural history.

SELECTION of artists ARTZUID 2011:

Switzerland: Jean Tinguely, Sylvie Fleury, Ugo Rondinone, Mark Handforth

Germany: Georg Herold, Stephan Balkenhol

Italy: Sandro Chia

Spain: Salvador Dali, Jaume Plensa, Joan Miro

Great-Brittan: Thomas Houseago, Ryan Gander, Anthony Caro, Antony Gormley,

France: Jean Dubuffett, Jean Arp, Frederic Beaufils

Belgium: Jan Fabre, Koen Vanmechelen, Corneille, Constant Permeke

Netherlands: Auke de Vries, Karel Appel, Lotti van der Gaag, Joost Conijn, Shlomo Koren, Klaas Gubbels, Jeroen Henneman, Joep van Lieshout, Shinkichi Tajiri, André Volten

Turkey: Hulya Yilmaz

Japan: Yayoi Kusama, Wataru Nakamura, Takayuki Yamamoto

Indonesia: Eko Prawoto

India: Ryas Komu, Subodh Gupta, Bose Krishnamachari

Ghana: Atta Kwami

South-Afrika: Moshekwa Langa

Brazil: Maria Nepomuceno

Suriname: Marcel Pinas, Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, Robert Tjon A Meeuw

Curaçao: Yubi Kirindongo

United States: Dennis Oppenheim, Allan Kaprow, Richard Jackson

China: Lu Shengzhong