A life changing experience
Saturday 22 January 2011, 3 pm - 3.30 pm
AMSTERDAM -'A life changing experience' was a flash mob at the Appel Art Centre in Amsterdam. This work was part of a collaboration with the artists Loek Grootjans, Alicia Framis and other lecturers of the Sandberg Institute.
'A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE' - was a re-enactment of a queue that was there in the Ferdinand Bolstraat when the museum re-opened at this location in 2010. This action was related to the tradition of 'happenings' and depending most of all on the generous support of all the participants who were queueing all together.
This artwork was inspired by statements of the state secretary of education and culture Halbe Zijlstra (VVD) in the Netherlands. Zijlstra had announced on television to make governmental subsidies for museums depended on the amount of visitors they attracted. At the same time the Appel Art Centre was publicly accused in the media to attract too less visitors. Only a small group of insiders attended exhibitions openings.
It was unclear in advance whether enough people would respond to my call to form a long queue together. This was part of the work. What I wanted was to organize a long and alive line of people waiting, in order to connect the heart of the museum with the street outside. To make a political statement everyone would disappear in the city after half an hour.
Many people answered the call and a long human line filled the corridors of the museum, reaching far outside on the street.
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Best regards, Edwin Stolk.
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