The Cracks by Karolina Howorko
“There is a crack, a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in,” legendary Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen sang in his song Anthem (1992). Striving for perfection makes little sense, Cohen said, because life is simply about change and decay. Yet there is always hope, and we must embrace the imperfections in what we do and what we make; damage and defects define the character of a person or an object.
Atlantis by Utskottet
You may identify the image of an international metropolis plagued by floods and other natural disasters from blockbuster films like Deep Impact (1998) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004). With the sinking city, Atlantis, Utskottet demonstrates how this menacing scene can become a frightening reality
Nacht tekening by Krijn de Koning
The Skinny Bridge counts around 1,800 light bulbs that are responsible for lighting up the contours of the bridge at night. This type of illumination is typical for Amsterdam bridges: the arches are accentuated by the concentration of light bulbs, and together they provide a unique and coherent cityscape.
Neigborhood by Sergey Kim
Illuminated laundry hangs to dry on washing lines, as though it were a summer day in Amsterdam. Glowing white garments, and a cheerful collection of blouses, T-shirts, underwear, trousers and dresses, hang on either side of the canal. There are also some special items of clothing such as a pair of wide Turkish pants, a traditional Jewish dress, and a Moroccan djellaba. Together these pieces represent the cultural and ethnic mix of residents in the city. Spread between different houseboats typical of Amsterdam, Neighborhood is a subtle but surprising intervention in the cityscape.
Butterfly Effect by Masamichi Shimada
Seven gigantic butterflies have landed on the surface of the canal. The butterflies not only rise and fall with the movement of the water caused by passing boats, but their wings glow blue against the dark night. At first sight, the artwork seems to portray a peaceful, almost magical scene. But with his artwork Butterfly Effect, Masamichi Shimada attempts to portray how something as delicate as a butterfly can possess such immense power.
Big Bang by UxU Studio
According to the artists of the collective Uxu Studio, there’s nothing that symbolises disruption – and destruction, war, and aggression – more than a bomb. Their blue-lit bomb BIG BANG hangs somewhat threateningly in the air like it is just about to hit the water (or maybe even a passing boat).
Nothing Holding Us by Ben Zamora
With his installation Nothing Holding Us, Ben Zamora shows us that nothing should hold us back. Not even the disruptive shock of a totally life-changing experience, which he has depicted with dozens of light tubes in the form of an explosion that seems to be frozen in time. The painful shock of losing a loved one, or the excitement and joy you feel when a new person comes into your life – your life will never be the same again and that offers room for perspective and development.
