Changing places

One of the most challenging aspects of art in public space is finding the right site. For Open Source Amsterdam, all artists could choose the site for their proposed work. This choice is of course based on artistic grounds: how does the work related to its surrounding in terms of meaning, scale, etc.

However, between dream and reality there are quite some practical obstacles. Can the work be transported to the location? Does the urban planner or architect agree with a work of art within his or her design? Are there any cables, pipes or sewage underneath? Even tree roots and groundwater levels are an issue.

And then of course we have to deal with the sensibilities of the inhabitants. The 1992 air plane crash is still painfully imbedded in the collective memory of the Bijlmer. The Open Source Route passes the Bijlmer Monument, which is the central site for the annual commemoration. It turns out, the area of the commemoration is not just the monument itself, but a large area surrounding it.

Rob Voerman originally choose a location which now turns out to be the within this larger area. After some conversations with the local authorities, we decided it would be best to choose a different location for Rob. I am very pleased (and relieved) that Rob felt the same way.

This meant that Rob had to come again to Amsterdam to search for a new site, which we found rather quickly. Rob even thinks the new location may be better. Now let’s hope there is won’t be any more obstacles…