Melanchotopia

2011 Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art Exhibition

Sept 3 to Nov 27, 2011

Between melancholy and utopia Today, Rotterdam seems to be a city on hold, caught between its past and its future: filled with nostalgia for the pre-WWII city, waiting for the utopian future that is perpetually stalled in unfinished developments and reconstructions. Projections about yesterday and tomorrow drive the image of the city, which seems to lack a present. Witte de With's Melanchotopia is an exhibition that “performs” the present of the city through the specific practice of over forty artists.

These international artists have been invited to work with different locations in Rotterdam. Throughout the inner city, their works are on display in sites that are part of everyday life: venues ranging from a supermarket to the chic lobby of an office building, from the playground of a primary school to a platform of the central station, from a louche hotel bar to city hall. Most of the works in Melanchotopia were especially developed for their locations.

The Witte de With building is the epicenter of the exhibition. Here you can find out more about all the participating artists and their projects for the different venues. Several art works and installations are also on show inside the epicenter and here visitors can obtain the exhibition guide, map and the free audio tour. The epicenter is the site for numerous Melanchotopia events and also hosts a pop-up art book store. Every Wednesday and Sunday at 3 pm free guided tours start at the epicenter, and in addition there is a busy program of lectures, artist talks, workshops and masterclasses.

Curators: Anne-Claire Schmitz, Nicolaus Schafhausen
Assistant Curators: Thomas Cuckle, Amira Gad, Fabian Schoeneich and Sam Sterckx

Artists: Michael Van den Abeele, Saâdane Afif, Harold Ancart, Danaï Anesiadou, Sven Augustijnen, Dirk Bell, Michael Beutler, Guillaume Bijl, Pierre Bismuth, Monica Bonvicini, George van Dam, Thea Djordjadze, Jean-Pascal Flavien, Olivier Foulon, Murray Gaylard, Filip Gilissen, Adam Gillam, Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys, Arnoud Holleman, Peter Hutton, Adrià Julià, Leon Kahane, Erik van Lieshout, Minouk Lim, Sarah Morris, Alex Morrison, Kate Newby, Ricardo Okaranza, Henrik Plenge Jakobsen, Nina Pohl, Tomo Savi -Gecan, Markus Schinwald, Slavs and Tatars, Mårten Spångberg, Tobias Spichtig, Nasrin Tabatabai & Babak Afrassiabi, Zin Taylor, Octavian Trauttmansdorff, Kostis Velonis, Lidwien van de Ven, Peter Wächtler, Lawrence Weiner.

Locations: Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art, SPAR Corandewal, Pathé Schouwburgplein, Weenink Bedrijfskleding, ROTTERDAM.INFO, Museum Rotterdam, Robeco, Bar Mon Cheri, Shop Erotica, Avondwinkel Alexia, Galerie VIVID, Willibrordschool, Rotterdamse centrum markt, Grotekerkplein, Beurs – World Trade Center, Stadswinkel Centrum Stadhuis, GRAND HOTEL CENTRAL, Q-Park Weena, Het Schieblock, The Manhattan Hotel, Nationale – Nederlanden, Rotterdam Centraal, Groot Handelsgebouw & Engels Grandcafé Restaurant Zalen, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Mauritsplaats, Pauluskerk, Van Urk – Piano’s & Vleugels, Jan Segeren herenmode, De Karel Doorman, Queens of Rings, Bilderberg Parkhotel, Buro Rietveld / Dutch Style Company, Stiltecentrum

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