Posted on: November 28, 2018 Posted by: Ivana Sramkova Comments: 7

Every year at the end of November, the Amsterdam Art Weekend invites thousands of people to enjoy contemporary art. This year, the event took place from November 22 till 25 . According to Arabella Coebergh, the press representative of the event, up to 45,000 people attend the event annually.

TENT Sarah Pichlkostner, If the moon was a cookie, 2018 - Pakt Amsterdam
The piece “If the moon was a cookie” by artist Sarah Pichlkostner, 30, is a chapter in a series of exhibitions which deals with finding the balance between productivity and emotional satisfaction. Courtesy of The Amsterdammer

The event is set up by Amsterdam Art, which is a non-profit organization that specializes in promoting contemporary art of both local and international artists. The Amsterdam Art Weekend achieves precisely this goal. As explained by Coebergh, the event started with the purpose “to highlight what kind of unique art climate Amsterdam has, and to showcase the various great galleries”. Since its inception in 2012, the event grew in size and popularity. This year, it comprised over 100 different exhibitions, performances, and debates. As such, the program not only provided the possibility of viewing contemporary art pieces by a wide range of artists, but visitors also got the chance to debate and share opinions with other contemporary art enthusiasts and even professionals in the field.

Gabriel Lester - opening Unresolved - De Appel arts centre Amsterdam 2016, courtesy the artist and Galerie Fons Welters
The Galerie Fons Welters is one of the galleries that took part in the Amsterdam Art Weekend. The gallery featured works by Gabriel Lester and Sam Samiee. Courtesy of The Amsterdammer

The creation of the event itself is not simple, and, according to Coebergh, takes a whole year. The decision on which venue and which artist will be granted a place is determined by an independent invitation committee. However, according to Coebergh, the venue or artist in consideration has to already be a part of an existing and continuous exhibition program. This implies, that individual artists who are not a part of any existing gallery cannot be a part of the exhibition.  

Paul Coiker, Eggs and Rarities - Courtesy of tegenboschvanvreden
The works of photographer Paul Kooiker, 54, dubbed “Eggs and Rarities”, is an installation of photographs that complement each other. Courtesy of The Amsterdammer

The Amsterdam Art Weekend keeps attracting more and more people. Therefore, there is no intention of it not recurring next year. With that said, Amsterdam is further stabilizing its position as the global center of art.

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