Open Call Exhibition: Urban Nature

Deadline for Submissions: July 17th

Exhibition Dates: Sept 14  to Oct 15,  2023

Treehouse NDSM is located in NDSM, an industrial area and former shipyard in the north of Amsterdam. Since it became a residential and business district, new buildings are actively being constructed and the number of inhabitants is increasing. The municipality of Amsterdam is currently carrying out different studies to define the future of NDSM. Landscape architects are looking into various options to bring more greenery to the neighbourhood, and an ecological map of Amsterdam Noord is being produced to designate which zones need to be protected. 

In this context, Treehouse NDSM will develop Art Park, a group exhibition that aims to allow artists that live and/or work in Amsterdam Noord to share their perspective on the role that Nature plays in the city. Artists from all backgrounds and working in any medium are welcome to apply if their project fits the exhibition's theme.

heme of the exhibition

Art Park seeks to reflect on the meaning of the presence (or absence) of Nature in the city. Why is it crucial to include and preserve green spaces inside the city? In what aspect is the cohabitation and protection of other species essential for human life and survival? What can we learn from Nature? 

Humans are building more, mainly to make cities larger to accommodate a growing population. This has immense consequences not only on the surrounding environments, but also in places further away where the construction materials are being sourced. Frequently, city planners think about green spaces only once new buildings have been constructed, placing Nature in a secondary position. How can we make the city more inclusive of its native Nature? Are there creative ways to re-think Nature within urban public spaces? As a response to the new ecological map conceptualised by the city’s landscapers, we want to invite artists to present their own Nature map of Amsterdam Noord, in which they can bring to the fore different aspects of the role of Nature in the area. 

Throughout the exhibition, various art workshops and side activities will be organised, such as talks with local environmentalists, ecology experts and artists, performance evenings, and a market with local products and natural healers from Amsterdam Noord.

‍Selection of artists

The two curators of the exhibition, Bert Barten and Esther Kin, supported by the director of Treehouse NDSM, will select 10 artworks that bring different reflections on the topic of urban nature in Amsterdam Noord. The artworks will be exhibited on the 100m2-mezzanine of Treehouse NDSM’s Pavilion. The jury will consider the relevance to the theme, and the medium used, and will be especially interested in giving a voice to artists from Amsterdam Noord. An artistic fee will be given to each artist participating in the exhibition (if we get the grant we applied for).

Please keep in mind that Treehouse NDSM is not a traditional gallery space. Treehouse NDSM supports multi-disciplinary artists in bringing their projects to life by offering 100 individual and affordable studios for rent, as well as access to exhibition spaces and the opportunity of participating in a vibrant and collaborative artistic community. It is an artistic incubator where artists and audiences use their imagination to create their vision of the world. 

Esther Kin is a visual artist working with ink and brushes who tries to simplify emotions into a suggestion and put them in motion.

Bert Barten is a visual and sound artist, well known for his project Talking Trees, dedicated to making the invisible vibrations of nature around us tangible.

*Image credit to Bruna Souza