As of now I am starting to spend some time as an artist/ writer in residence in Modestraat, Nieuwendam (North of Amsterdam). In this part of the city some 'broedstraten' (art breeding streets) are being set up. The plan is I walk around the streets as a shadow, eavesdropping typical Nieuwendam stories, meeting Nieuwendammers, possibly writing their biographies. Heck i might even search for the modern day myth of Nieuwendam and visualize it. The actual result will develop itself the coming months.
Nieuwendam is a very interesting neighbourhood, where some inhabtitants were born, raised and stayed there their whole life, some inhabitants are very new, not only to Nieuwendam but to the whole continent of Europe. Houses differ enormously: very old Dutch working class small and social housing projects, are combined with huge flats, and a dike with old traditional Dutch houses that were turned in million euro projects. There is lots of greenery, there are public sports installations in the street where grannies do their work-out, you can get your snacks at the supermarket or toko, there are lots of people who walk their pitbull while driving a scooter, there is an occaional stabbing in the streets (drugs, jealousy, crime), there are lots of singing birds, there are many enthousiastic children, there are elderly grey disappointed people, but also elderly gay happy people. I plan to hang around eavesdropping. And hope to hear Nieuwendam's stories and present them to you in a way that does them justice.
