Het Parool, Amsterdam, November 2, 2001, newspaper

Farewell to the Polderweg Terrain

Bart Krieger

Amsterdam, Haven't taken a highway to the heavens or seen a rainbow by moonlight? Then seize your chance now. Stichting Zicht op Oost presents the project 'Polderlicht' this Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. There is a selection of audiovisual talent, among them some well known names such as Erwin Olaf but it's the new talent that demands the attention.

"Since the whole Polderweg area is going to be developed within 4 years" said Loes Diephuis, one of the organizers of Polderlicht, "Stichting Zicht op Oost initiated an art project to part with the current architecture in an appropriate way. The project has no theme, which fits with the area since it always functioned as a sort of free area. When we were choosing the artists I did choose artists which I thought could take on the challenge of large public spaces."

The video projection by Nikki Lindt over the Ringcanal is magical. In the moonlight, the 'Night Rainbow' seems like a Margritte painting come to life. The fantastic natural phenomenon stands strong in contrast with the crumbling industrial buildings on the terrain.
Kaenu (Japanese for frog) by Michal Butink (1975), a video projection on a garage door on the Beijers Street also takes on the challenge with the environment. Seen is an amusement park attraction, which once high in the air falls at a shockingly fast speed. A small Japanese girl is on the ride and she is very noticeably enjoying the ride. When Butink who won a 'one- minute award' last week at Paradiso- heard about this project she reacted right away because she prefers to see art on the street than in institutions. Butink: "The unexpected art experience goes much deeper."
A piece called "Highway" climbs a 60 foot high chimney pipe on Beijers street. "Highway" by Peggy Bonthuis (1971) is made of TL lamps which suggest the yellow stripes in the middle of a highway. "The name of the installation is pretty straightforward when looking at the piece but is also a reaction on the new plan for the Polderweg area which has a new highway cutting through it.”
Ro Hager's (1973) video projection, called "Circulating Landscape", projected on the rear of the Arbeidsbureau specifically does not seek a confrontation with its environment. On the wall, the projections make a large circular sweeping motion, the projections are abstract office buildings filmed all over the world. A confronting detail is images from New York with it's present skyline. Hagers is fascinated by the way people lead their lives in anonymous office buildings and cars which they inhabit almost as a second body. "We hardly spend any time outdoors anymore but move from one body to another."

Polderlict can be seen every evening for November 2-4 in the Polderweg terrain.