Kaap (Cape) Helder
2003
The exhibition “Kaap Helder” at the former naval dockyard Oude Rijkswerf Willemsoord draws attention to an exceptional location with a rich history. On this occasion however, it is not history of this old naval base and the small city of Den Helder connected to it, but it is the art that occupies the centre stage, contemporary art that can not be valued free on this cape, located at the very end of The Netherlands itself, on the northernmost tip of the province on Noord-Holland. The naval base itself was founded by Napoleon combined with the fortifications in and around the small city of Den Helder. The Germans occupied it during the second World War and since the beginning of year 2000 the navy moved over from this “old” compound to a brand new naval base, just across the small channel that provides access to the North Sea. The former navy base is considered as industrial architecture and is therefore protected by the Dutch government. This industrial complex was also the basis for this exhibiting of contemporary art project. Most of the participating artists were able to produce new works and or installations as well as on scale as the industrial complex itself is a huge complex which on itself is quite unique. The exhibition can therefore not be conveyed in a concept but in an experience in which the participating artists mixed local elements in their artworks such as wind, water, rain, toughness & roughness, the end of the land and where the sea begins.
Participating artists
Atelier van Lieshout – Yael Bartana – Melanie Bonajo – Los Carpinteros
Joost Conijn – Nicolas Descottes – Omer Fast – Yu Xiao Feng – Julian Germain Geert Goires – Fabrice Gygi – Jos Kruit – Antal Lakner – Via Lewandowsky
Jun Nguyen Hatsushiba – Lucy Orta – Gabor Osz – Manfred Pernice
Hermann Pitz – Anne Verhoijsen – Emo Verkerk – Ruud van de Wint
Mirjam de Zeeuw
Video impression of Kaap Helder
Photo impression of Kaap Helder