The forecast is that the sea level will rise sharply in the coming centuries. With the title Pavlopetri, the creators refer to the Greek underwater city of the same name, which rests on the seabed at a depth of four meters. Sahabi and Zuydervelt explore what it feels like when Amsterdam — which is an average of two meters below sea level — becomes the new Pavlopetri in the long run.  

This takes shape in an installation that reflects different visual and acoustic properties of water. Sahabi's spatial design is inspired by typical monumental columns in Greek architecture and refers to this history. The golden, mirrored exterior and open shape of the installation ensure that the pavilion can enter into a dialogue with the NDSM environment, where water also plays a major role. Inside the pavilion, Zuydervelt's soundscape suggests an underwater world that interacts with the natural sounds of the shipyard. Sahabi's light animation, shown on the ceiling, plays with the typical “dancing light lines” created by the reflections of wavy water surfaces.  

With the work, the creators hope to make the (future) consequences of the climate crisis tangible to the public. Specifically at a location whose (ship) history is characterized by the presence of water and where elements such as wind and water are always explicitly present.

Opening

The installation will be festively opened at 3 pm on NDSM on Sunday, May 26, in the presence of the artists.

About Stichting NDSM-werf

Stichting NDSM-werf programs and manages NDSM's monumental outdoor space as a cultural shipyard that focuses on the public character, creative experiment and polyphony. The foundation develops and presents location-specific installations and artworks by and with artists, designers and architects. More information about the foundation and all art projects, visit ndsm.nl.

About Siba Sahabi and Rutger Zudervelt

Siba Sahabi is a German-Iranian interdisciplinary artist. In addition to objects and sculptures, she creates theater sets and installations for buildings and public spaces.
Rutger Zyudervelt is a musician, composer and performer. Under the name Machinefabriek, he composes music that combines elements of ambient, noise, minimalism, field recordings and electroacoustic experiments.

This artwork was made possible in part by Het Cultuurfonds and Het Stimuleringsfonds.

Coloured for the fifth time Tropicali in 2024, the NDSM shipyard. This LGBTIQ+ friendly festival is about being able to express yourself, be it in a beautiful festival outfit, in great dance moves, or in any other way! In their own words, Tropikali is: “A place where LGTBQIA+ people - and those who don't know where they stand - can express themselves freely and without judgment.” On the Tropikali dance floor, you'll find tropical vibes and the best Balkan Beats, for the first time as a weekender in 2024! For this special edition, they designed two icons: Tropi for Saturday and Kali for Sunday.

The sun was shining during the event and the very best outfits were shining on the various dance floors: Rosario, Latinichta, and Kalinichta stage. The names of the stages refer back to the parties that gave birth to the festival.

Eva Vilachá from Tropikali festival joined our podcast NDSM X and told us all about how Tropikali is committed to “safer spaces” at festivals and events. Listen to the entire episode in the NDSM online magazine. Also check out the video for an impression of the atmosphere.

About this artwork

It looks like this car landed with a big crash. The installation Landed Rock (landed rock) by designer and visual artist Clinton Kabena is about migration. In 2022, more than 100 million people worldwide were fleeing war and violence. They usually settle in an environment far away from home that is unknown and new to them. Kabena is fascinated by this crash in a different culture. In addition to the crashed car, the three NDSM Billboards feature visuals that respond to the topic of “borders”.

About his work, Clinton says that with these artworks, he challenges the viewer to think about the fantastic nature of borders, constructed as they are from the collective imagination of societies. The confrontation of the grandeur of these monumental structures with the fragile threads of unity that they try to maintain invites introspection. These works transcend the political and dive into the psychological realm where nations are woven from dreams and aspirations.

About the artist

In his work, Clinton Kabena uses vehicles as a central theme, as literal and figurative vehicles that transport these stories. They are the link between driver, passenger and route, and show how mobility and the human desire for change are always linked.

My work focuses on the transformative nature of travel, in particular African migration, and the resilience of the individuals who undertake them. Through my art, I look at the social networks created by these trips and the profound impact they have on individuals, families, and communities. In my work, I use vehicles as a central theme because they are the literal and figurative vehicles that transport these stories. They are the link between the driver, the passenger and the route and symbolize the connections between mobility and the human desire for change.

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The installation is part of Refresh Amsterdam #2: War & Conflict. The second part of this installation (another car) is on display at the Amsterdam Museum. This work is also the first part of the exhibition (Un) monumenting, which will be shown at the NDSM shipyard and in the NDSM Loods from December 17, 2023 to February 18, 2024.

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Not-in-my-backyard of Rob Voerman is an installation that combines various functions and references: those of a shelter, nightclub, church and bar. The work is a response to the (over) regulation of public space in the Netherlands. According to Rob, every square meter has been designed, and functions in public spaces are carefully chosen. There is almost no place where functions are mixed in a more loose way.

Originally created for the Biennial Open Source in the Bijlmer in 2009, Not-in-My-Backyard moved to the AMC (Amsterdam Medical Center). Now, Not-in-my-backyard finds a home in a different context for 9 months: that of the NDSM: a cultural site where there is room for experimentation, for questioning public values and focusing on a non-exclusive, polyphonic, public space where a lot is possible. Art, festivals, events, art and craft production space and industrial heritage come together here.

Where Sexyland used to sit and only raised grass over the past two years, there is now a sculpture that you can also sit next to or in (during the day). The NDSM-werf Foundation presents site-sensitive art in response to the context of NDSM. This changing context is determined by the space that currently exists for art, creativity and experimentation, a cultural site, and around which a lot of new buildings have been built.

The architectural constructions, sculptures, drawings and staged photos by Rob Voerman (1966) are disturbing and seductive at the same time. They sketch a perfectly constructed, utopian world with apocalyptic features, a world that is constantly growing but also protected, a world that is broken but also rising from its ashes.

DGTL festival was born in 2013 at the NDSM shipyard. After a first amazing edition, the festival continued and expanded to include editions around the world. This festival is committed to discovery, inspiration, and innovation, especially but not exclusively in the field of sustainability.

With impressive stages and in collaboration with the best DJs (both up-and-coming and established), DGTL provides an unforgettable Easter festival experience at the NDSM wharf every year. In addition to celebrating electronic music and art, DGTL is a space for experimentation and exploration of revolutionary sustainability projects, a well-known example of which is the use of hydrogen aggregates. Highly aware of its environmental impact, DGTL strives to be the most sustainable festival on Earth and invests heavily in reducing its environmental footprint. The festival is not only known for its plant-based food court and for avoiding single-use plastic; DGTL became fully sustainable and circular in 2022.

With her neon installation The Future Should Always Be Better explores Sharon Lockhart the idea of our future and its ability to hold and reshape hope. By executing a statement in neon, Lockhart recalls past utopian visions of a future full of technological, social and structural progress.

Amid the increasing impact of a struggling environment or a global pandemic, the installation's statement is an invitation to consider the future of humanity — not only with melancholy, but also with hope. The work was installed on the Y-ramp, where ships built on NDSM were launched. It's a place where memories, reality, and dreams come together. Lockhart's statement is gaining strength because of the different interpretations that the text evokes. What does “should” mean here? How are our conditions “getting better” and how can that term be defined? The presentation of the neon-lit sentence at NDSM refers to NDSM itself and its circumstances. In addition, the message also extends further into Amsterdam, by touching on the stories of the city's residents and collective social and political stories.

From December 17, 2023 to February 18, 2024, twelve makers showed their work in the first major exhibition, both inside the shipbuilding shed and outside the NDSM shipyard. (Un) monumenting was a group exhibition with new and existing monumental works by twelve (inter) national artists. In various media, the creators claim space for alternative “monuments” or address the question of what a monument can be and for whom or what a monument is being erected.

In (Un) monument Stichting NDSM-werf and Stichting Kinetisch Noord wanted to question the idea of 'a monument' and a monumental place like NDSM. What can a monumental place like this mean for the future? (Un) monumenting comes from a programme line by the NDSM-werf Foundation about the contemporary position of monuments and specifically what this means in a place like NDSM; a location where monumental heritage, creativity, events and creators come together.

For NDSM, the discussion about the role and significance of contemporary memorials is important. Many neighbors see NDSM as holy ground: a place that has defined their history and will continue to do so because of the history of shipbuilding that took place here. It is mainly the former shipyard itself that is considered a monument. It is now a cultural site, a place where art, heritage and events come together. More information about the specific works in this exhibition can be found on the location page from (Un) monumenting.

Participating artists: Maarten Baas, Elsemarijn Bruys, Koos Busters, Selby Gildemacher, Clinton Kabena, Krijn de Koning, Bas Kosters, Sharon Lockhart, Hira Nabi, Oscar Peters, Selma Selman and Bart Eysink Smeets.

(Un) monumenting was a free exhibition with a pay-as-you-can policy. Indeed, it is thanks to the support of funds, partners, and visitors that we can culturally program the NDSM wharf on a non-profit basis. Do you want and can you contribute to art and culture in this special place? Then donate via this link, thanks!

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“Washing up on the European coastlines, are the bodies of those who fled from wars, economic and ecological crises, which cannot be seen independently from the political history and the neocolonial legacies of the North-South power dynamic.” — Hilda Moucharrafieh

On the Y-slope of the NDSM shipyard, multimedia artist brought Hilda Moucharrafieh a tribute to the refugees who died in the Mediterranean. Together with artists Haitham Haddad, Tewa Barnosa and artist collective We Sell Reality, Hilda paints a text from a letter found in the pocket of a drowned migrant in 2015. He wrote this letter because he knew he was going to die soon. He thanks the sea that took him in without asking for a visa or passport.

His words washed in Longing to cross the horizons at the Y-Helling; a place where ships were built and launched in the past. Intertwined with the (neo) colonial economy, the Amsterdam shipyards are inseparable from exploitation, oppression and slavery. To this day, just like in this work, the water washes the tragic consequences of this system back to European coasts and cities.

Around the site of Longing to cross the horizons meetings, activities and events were organized in 2023 by We Sell Reality, Sehaq and other friends.

Karski (1974) and Beyond (1983) is an artist duo from the Netherlands. They have a background in graphic design/art school and are very intensively involved in the graffiti scene.

As an experiment, they started working together in 2012. Because they liked the first mural made collectively, they decided to join forces. Their work is known for using original and vibrant color combinations. It contains realistic, graphic and abstract elements, often with surprising depth and dynamism. For Karski & Beyond, art is a way of expressing yourself, and making gigantic paintings, like this one on the container arch, makes them feel alive. “As a duo, we like to push the limits for as much contrast and depth as possible.”

As a cultural season opener, Stichting NDSM-werf presented an installation by an artist in 2023 William de Haan at NDSM: a vertical campsite that addresses the fight for scarce space.

Previously, his work was shown on the international art route IJssel Biennale, where it was a response to the pressure on the landscape for agricultural production and recreation. At NDSM, Nature City takes on a different meaning. In a growing, densifying city like Amsterdam and in a rapidly developing district such as Amsterdam North, there is great pressure on public space. Space: physical and mental, is important for the quality of life in a city, but places for greenery, relaxation and recreation are scarce. With the work Nature City, De Haan playfully addresses a serious urban issue by imagining a possible but also alienating future scenario.

About the artist

In his work, multidisciplinary artist Willem de Haan (1996, NL) challenges socially conditioned and political rules of everyday locations. In a convincing, humorous and alienating way, the artist adds artificial elements to existing situations. His suggestive sculptural interventions refer to the use of props and sets in the film and theater world.

Every year, the NDSM-werf Foundation invites a novice curator to intervene in the public space of the NDSM under the name “Young Curator”. The implementation is open. The ambition is to open up and make working in the public space more accessible and to respond to emergencies.

This year is Anne-Jet de Nas invited as Young Curator. Previously, she curated an exhibition at Sexyland World (also in Amsterdam-Noord), among others. On Thursday, September 28, De Nas will curate the 'Infrared' program, a performance accompanying the artwork IN TUNE by Henk Schut. This work, a bronze tuning fork that 'tunes' the environment and thus brings us better into balance with our surroundings, can be seen in the Y-ramp Dock and forms the context for the program. We had a conversation with Anne-Jet about her program at NDSM, you can read that interview here.

The starting point of Infrared is the stillness that IN TUNE seeks; how do we relate to nature and space around us? With this intervention, De Nas addresses sound as a connecting factor, between people and the city, but also between her and work. A special performance by an artist Ray Fuego, also one of the founders of hip-hop collective Smib, adds a temporary sound and thus responds to the stillness of the work. Ray Fuego will perform his latest song INFRARED// 3:30 AM in a spoken word written for the occasion.

From June 22 to August 20, 2023, you could go on a Dazzle Trip at the NDSM shipyard. This series of images celebrates gender diversity in public spaces and provides a glimpse into the universe of artist, designer and queer activist Yamuna Forzani. Dazzle Trip consisted of several works spread across the NDSM shipyard and beyond.

Dazzle Point

A Dazzle Pont sailed between the NDSM shipyard and Amsterdam Central Station: a special GVB ferry wrapped with Dazzle-wrap designed by Yamuna Forzani (made possible in part by Amsterdam Ferry Festival). The Dazzle Pont is inspired by the Dazzle Ships that were used in the First World War. With the intention to use abstract patterns in contrasting colors that made it harder for the enemy to estimate the speed, distance and direction of the target. The term Dazzle also refers to the dazzling patterns that Yamuna always uses in her work. Inspired by challenging prints and graffiti influences, Forzani creates contemporary collages and graphic patterns with tags for NDSM. If you zoom in on the patterns, you will see references to pop culture (symbols and emojis), but also an activist attitude, such as statements such as “trans rights are human rights”, a statement that, according to Forzani, is about pride.

Video Installation

The video work that was shown in the shipping container on the Forge Square is a compilation of images from the Utopia Ball x Fashion Show that Yamuna is organizing and for which she won the Dutch Design Awards for her art direction in 2022. You can also see images from her residency at Worm Rotterdam, a performance with homemade designs called Angel's Delight. The video shares stories about diversity, acceptance and the normalization of all bodies in public spaces at the ferry landing.

A Big Heart inflatable

Dazzle Trip is a visualization of 'planet Yamuna', in this context, a large inflatable planet named A Big Heart on the sea container where the video installation can be viewed on the Smederijplein. This inflatable was previously seen at Blow Up The Hague.

Visuals on the NDSM Billboards

On the three big ones NDSM Billboards three scaled images from Forzani's work were shown across the shipyard. These are images from the ballrooms that Forzani has supervised and organized, performances and interventions that she has done in combination with her own (fashion) designs. With an eclectic mix of fashion, photography, performance, installation and design, Forzani explores identity, body and femininity with these images, intertwined with psychedelically inspired visual language.