The Autonomous Fabric

by Rotterdam BIJ1:

Are artist-run spaces now being created by real estate developers? And on top of that, not just any art space, but one that claims to be "a bottom-up non-institution" that does "self assemble and strategically address societal and ecological justice"?

Right next to where I live, the real estate development companies Dura Vermeer & Dudok Groep are turning a former factory territory into a new upmarket housing complex, as part of the larger Merve-Vierhaven real estate development/gentrification project. This complex, right at the entry of Dakpark, will called Diepenveen [https://www.diepeveen-rotterdam.nl]. As part of this complex, the old factory building will house a "club of makers and thinkers which will form a mini society together with the neighbors" [description on the website of the real estate developers], respectively "a new experimental platform for contemporary culture" [description on the website of the space] called "Huidenclub" [https://huiden.club/]. Huidenclub states that it "will launch on 1 July 2021 with its first theme addressing how as a bottom-up non-institution it can self assemble and strategically address societal and ecological justice."

The launch will be during Art Rotterdam Week. Announcements can be found on art/culture websites such as WeOwnRotterdam and artrabbit.com, but also on real estate websites like wonen360.nl (https://www.wonen360.nl/article/9329364/lancering-van-nieuw-platform-huidenclub/) and Dura Veremeer's own website (https://www.duravermeer.nl/nieuws/ontwikkelingsplannen-diepeveen-passen-in-innovatief-rotterdams-makers-district/).

The artists listed for the opening exhibition are:
Pauline Boudry + Renate Lorenz
Pauline Curnier Jardin
Andrea Éva Győri
Patricia Kaersenhout
Janis Rafa
Evelyn Taocheng Wang
Jennifer Tee
Kubilay Mert Ural
Laurids Gallée
Sabine Marcelis
Tim Mastik
Phil Procter
Anna Aagaard Jensen
Théophile Blandet
Jonas Lutz
Supertoys Supertoys
Pim Top
Johan Viladrich + Lauriane Heim

The website of "Huidenclub.tmp" looks like that of a contemporary art space, but has a contact adress of the P.R. firm Coebergh (https://coebergh.nl/) which works, according to its homepage, for "brands, (inter)national market leaders and innovators" (which include the FrieslandCampina agro-industrial company, Auping and Rituals).

The driving forces behind the Huidenclub seem to be the art consultancy Liv Vaisberg and the architect Chantal Schoenmakers whose bureau IWT.IO lists Dura Vermeer and Dudok Groep as its clients.

Ontwikkelingsplannen Diepeveen Wonen, werken, horeca én De Huidenclub; dat is de kern van de transformatie van het terrein en het rijksmonumentale pand Diepeveen in Rotterdam.

social sculpture Koffie & Ambacht birthday video for Gilbert van Drunen at Koffie & Ambacht, Carnisse, Rotterdam-Zuid, May 13th 2021 (Shot with a CinePI + Angenieux 8-64mm/1.9 Super 8 lens)

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