Art Sleepover
13 September, 2021 - 14 November, 2021
For a period of eight weeks, five artworks from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands are staying in the homes of various Rotterdammers. The project Art Sleepover, which was postponed for a year because of COVID-19, connects the Rotterdam communities of the Paulus church, Het Gemaal op Zuid, Reakt, Laurens care for the elderly, and Kunstlab+ through artworks from the National Art Collection. During the sleepover weeks, students of the Willem de Kooning Academy visit the households within these communities and look for inspiration in the objects, their temporary accommodation, and in their conversations with the people who live there. At each of the host addresses, this exciting process between the residents and the artists will subsequently result in a new work of art. Art Sleepover is a new, special project by All you can Art in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
ROTTERDAM PARTNERS IN CARE AND EDUCATION
The five participating communities are both regular and new collaboration partners of All you can Art. Laurens care for the elderly has, for instance, already been involved in this social practice art project since 2017. In 2019, All you can Art was the guest of the community centre Het Gemaal op Zuid in the Afrikaanderwijk neighbourhood for an entire summer. And since a number of years there has been an intensive collaboration with Reakt (previously called Antes), an organisation that helps people with psychological problems or addiction histories on their way in daily life. This past summer, All you can Art artists have been working with clients in different Reakt locations and explored how art can play a role in connecting different people and organisations. Kunstlab+ is an initiative of SKAR, Stichting Kunstaccommodatie Rotterdam (foundation for art accommodation Rotterdam), that offers art education to children, parents, and other locals in South Rotterdam.
The Paulus church Rotterdam is also participating in Art Sleepover, with a work from the National Art Collection displayed in one of the spaces where, for instance, homeless people, people suffering from addictions, or people without a residence permit can spend the night. After Art Sleepover has ended, the Paulus church will continue to be a solid partner. In the spring of 2022, for instance, All you can Art will be organising a take-over of this special location.
TALENT DEVELOPMENT
As is the case with the All you can Art Summerschool, talent development is again an important cornerstone of this new project. All you can Art artists David Bade, Tirzo Martha, Elvis Chen and Rinella Alfonso are coaching the students of the Willem de Kooning Academy by means of studio visits during their creative process. Every week, the students can also follow special classes by the artists, for instance about social practice art. Furthermore, they have visited the CollectieCentrum Nederland in Amersfoort, a centre that that houses, among other things, the National Art Collection.
VISUAL REPORTS
The Art Sleepover project is in full swing at the different communities across the city. The Rotterdam photographer Naomi Modde has been capturing the artworks in the homes of people and in the living environments of the clients of our various partners. In this way she is creating a visual report of how the works are becoming a part of their daily lives.
ART SLEEPOVER ON OPEN ROTTERDAM
This autumn, local broadcaster OPEN Rotterdam is dedicating a series of episodes to this project, enabling you to also follow the special encounters that took place and the stories that evolved out of Art Sleepover. You can watch the very first episode below.
ART AT THE KITCHEN TABLE
Families from the communities of Het Gemaal op Zuid and Kunstlab+ living with the artworks from the collection of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. Photos: Naomi Modde
Image report Art sleepover, photos: Naomi Modde