Karmijn Winterexpo at Community Center Boezemstraat with Witty Art!

Last weekend, a couple of members of the Rotterdam Art Collective Karmijn hosted a small but quaint opening of a new show of their work at the community center Boezemstraat 187, in the Rotterdam-Crooswijk area.

When asked to join this exhibition, I decided to keep the same selection that was already in place for October's edition of the artmanifestation Kunstroute Kralingen-Crooswijk, but then arranged a bit differently. Still quite happy with the result and I might decide to replace this selection with some other Witty Art but not sure about that.
 

On show are the three works that make up my '2013 series ''Heavy Weight'' and a couple of Singles from 2013-2014 - and gotta say, they do make a nice combination together. I also think it works nicely because of ''Heavy Weight'' displaying a more illustrative style of my work as whereas the four Singles each are a good example of the more autonomous, surrealistic side of Witty Art. 

Ofcourse, feel free to check out my Witty Art Singles from 2015-2016 - and when I am typing this I am rather embarrased to admit I have not properly updated this Art Blog since then, instead being far more active on Instagram to show and promote my art. This is partially because of sincere lack of time, as other parts of my creative business sadly often take priority over promoting my art, partially because I am still figuring out what type of website would cater my needs best. I know I do need a new website and I have been looking into Wordpress and yes, Wordpress it'll be - but I am still not sure which template would suit me best, what is the best way to communicate about my artwork and the various ''branches'' of Witty Art; whether to incorporate a webshop into this website or host a separate one, etc. etc.

Things that do need urgent sorting out but then again .. that takes time and time, again sadly, is not always around here in abudance. BUT, must get around to it, I know!

However, am drifting away from this blog's actual topic, this winterexhibition with my fellow Karmijn members which include, amongst others, Jan Sinke, Willem van Hest, Lara Muradjan, Vera Witleer, Hans van Rongen and Michiel Boelaerts.

So, this exhibition will be on up and untill with Sunday February 1st. As the location is being actively used as a community center during weekdays, the exhibtion will be open on Saturdays only from 13.00 - 17.00, with at least one of us artists present. There is also the small possiblity of the exhibition being extended, but ofcourse I will let you know in due time.

I myself will be there on various occasions and will communicate such and other updates through either this blog or via social media, especially my Witty Art account on Instagram.

New group exhibition of Karmijn opens on August 28th - including Witty Art!

Vanaf 28 augustus t/m 8 september is een showcase van Witty Art te zien als onderdeel van de grote groepsexpositie van Kunstenaarscollectief Karmijn in de Rotterdamse Fenixloods!

Graag nodig ik jullie allemaal van harte uit voor de opening op woensdag 28 augustus a.s. om 19.30 door Jisca Bijlsma, directeur van het Chabot Museum Rotterdam. 

De expositie is daarna nog te zien t/m zondag 8 september en is dagelijks geopend van 12.00 tot 18.00 uur. Je vindt de expo op de tweede verdieping van de Fenixloods, Veerlaan 21 op Rotterdam Katendrecht.

De groepsexpositie toont werk van (bijna alle) leden van Karmijn en geeft daarmee een goed beeld van de diversiteit aan disciplines en stijlen binnen deze vereniging van ondernemende kunstenaars uit Rotterdam.

Zelf toon ik vier werken uit een nog niet eerder vertoonde Witty Art Series: ''Once Upon A Time Never Happened'', bestaande uit totaal zes werken, elk vervaardigd in 2015. Een serie, die tot stand kwam door middel van een proces dat ik ''Creative Destruction and Creative Reconstruction'' ben gaan noemen en hoe dat uitmondde in de allereerste Witty Collage Art werken ooit.

Lees meer over het ontstaan van deze serie in dit blog over ''Once Upon A Time Never Happened!'

Extra: lees meer over het vervolg daarop in dit blog over Witty Collage Art.

Nieuwsgierig? Je hebt binnenkort de kans om vier werken uit deze serie in persoon te kunnen zien, en wel van woensdag 28 augustus t/m zondag 8 september in de Fenixloods, Veerlaan 21 op Rotterdam-Katendrecht.

Tot ziens!

(english version below this picture)

(english)


Proudly presenting another selection of Witty Art as part of a greater groupexhibition of Rotterdam Art Collective Karmijn. This exhibition will show work of (nearly all) members of Karmijn and in doing so, proves to be an excellent showcase of the variety of styles and discpilines within this artists run collective.

You are all invited to join us at the Fenixloods on Rotterdam Katendrecht for the exhibition's grand opening on Wednesday August 28th, 19.30hrs by Jisca Bijlsma, the director of the renowned Chabot Museum Rotterdam.

After that, the exhibtion will be open daily from 12.00 tot 18.00 hrs up and untill with Sunday September 8th. You can find the expo on the second floor of the Fenixloods at Veerlaan 21, Rotterdam (Katendrecht area).

I myself will be showing four works from my series ''Once Upon A Time Never Happened'', born in 2015 out of a process I've come to call ''Creative Deconstruction and Creative Reconstruction'' - a process that eventually resulted in the creation of the first Witty Collage Art ever.

Please read more about this series and its birth in this blog about ''Once Upon A Time Never Happened!'

And, while yoú're at it, please read even more about where it led me creatively in this blog about Witty Collage Art.

Curious to see more? You can see four of these in person at the Fenixloods Rotterdam, Veerlaan 21 Rotterdam (Katendrecht area) from August 28th - September 8th!

See you there!

Brandnew Witty Art at a brandnew exhibition at the Marriott Hotel Rotterdam!

Photo: Yvonne Ottervanger

An artist's life often resembles that of a rollercoaster, well, mine certainly is. As my Open Studio Weekend went out of the window because I became unexpectedly and horridly ill with the flu, a new opportunity arose when I was offered the opportunity to join the latest Fresh Expo by Bubble Art Projects at the Rotterdam Marriott Hotel.

An excellent opportunity to showcase brandnew Witty Art, from a brandnew series: ''Something Fishy Going Wrong (Part 1) | Jellyfish Don't Play By The Rules!'. I will share more details of and a bit of background behind this series in a later blog.

So, last Saturday July 8th I found myself in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in my hometown Rotterdam, in the company of seven other extremely gifted female artists, ready to get our artwork exhibited. Together, it didn't take us long to get our works up on the walls, after which each of us was given some time to talk a bit about our work. It was really interesting to hear more about each artwork, how they came to be and in what way the artists were driven to create their work. 

When it was my turn, I told a bit about myself, about my work as an artist/illustrator and, overall, visual storyteller and how I like to visualize the world that lives in my head: The World of Witty Art and all its inhabitants, the outcasts, the sole soul survivors, the perfectly imperfect misfits that are so dear to my heart. And we spoke about the symbolism behind the jellyfish - but, as said, more on that in a later blog.

(photo: Yvonne Ottervanger)

Then, it was time for an extended three course lunch together, during which we exchanged more thoughts and ideas about our artwork, art in general and experiences as professional artists. Connections were established and even some plans for future collaborations were made!

It was a very well spent and inspirtational afternoon and I can safely say that for me, I will definitely exhibit my work through Bubble Projects again, as it was a very satisfying experience and well organised event.



 
The Fresh Summer Expo at the Rotterdam Marriott, Weena 686 Rotterdam, can be seen up and untill with Friday August 30th and shows a very diverse range of original artwork by Grace Wychowanska, Julia Maximova, Izabella Verhagen, Yvonne Ottervanger, Rita Camphuijsen, Dinie van Buuren and Christy de Witt.

So, if you happen to be around the coming weeks, send me a message and who knows, we can meet up over a cup of coffee at the Marriot Rotterdam and I can show you the exhibition in person!

(c) All photos on this blog by Christy de Witt unless mentioned otherwise

The end of the road for Museum van de Wijk en Toko51

All good things come to an end, so they say .. and unfortunately, now that is the case for the Community Museum (Museum van de Wijk) Oude Westen, the project I have been working hard on the last couple of months together with the great guys from Cretopia Rotterdam. As the building our pop up museum was in, officially has been sold to a new owner, and with no other option to start elsewhere, we have to call it quits.

At least for now.

We have no idea what the future might bring, as Rotterdam's economy is booming and the whole property development market is growing at lightning speed, so, unfortunately, to prices and affordable accomodation for smaller creative initiatives is becoming more and more rare. The same goes for opportunities to start a something on a temporary or pop-up basis: they are getting scarce, too.

So, this not only means an end to The Museum van de Wijk but also to what over the last couple of years has been a small gem of local creative and social entrepreneurship and community building: Toko51. Which has been an open and openminded space for creative artists and makers from the neighborhood. It's a sad thing to see this place go and I wish both Piet Hein en Lennard, the driving forces behind this all, a lot of strength with having to break down what they built up over the last two years.

For those of you who are Dutch (or are able to read Dutch), please read this blog in which I wrote about why, to me, Toko51 was such a unique place in the cultural scene of Rotterdam:
''Het Museum van de Wijk in ''De Toko'': een plek als geen ander! 

Here's the last and final footage from that special place at de West-Kruiskade.
Bye Toko51, you will be missed...

But, as they say... when one door opens, others will open so this is hopefully not the end of what has been a great collaboration. On to new adventures, we go!

Witty Art to be seen in Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg as part of The Museum of Dogs!

Ok, now it's finally official! Behind the scenes, Team Dogparade010 has been working really hard on a new project and it's gonna be a real highlight for me, both as part of the team as well as an artist: The Museum of Dogs, a co-production by Dogparade010 and Theater Rotterdam.

This pop-up Museum of Dogs will open its doors in the main hall of Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg, showcasing a range of dog-themed artwork by both professional, amateur and outsider artists from Rotterdam. Some well-known, some relatively known, some completey unknown to the mainstream audience. Amongst them, yours truly - and I am indeed very proud to be part of this exhibition, which basically is a collection of ''all things dog'' in the line of ''The Museum of Everything''. All works will be shown ''French Salon Style'', creating what we have named The Wall of Dogs. 

Simultaneously, we will show a collection of dogphotography, again by both professionals and amateurs as well as special photoselections provided by the Dutch Fotomuseum Rotterdam (about 100 year photography of dogs and humans) and the Belasting & Douanemuseum Rotterdam ((featuring dog with jobs like snifferdogs and therapydogs). This Digital Wall of Dogs will be shown on the lifesize Mediawand (basically the biggest TV-screen in the country) in the Hal of Theater Rotterdam.

You can find all information on the flyer, which again is a creation from Dogparade010's trusted designer Grootzus.

All this because of the rerun of the popular Theater Rotterdam familyshow ''Woef Side Story'', a musical about streetdog Toto and upperclass dog Marina who fall in love together, with a whole LOT of consequences, but in the end, love wins. Romeo and Julia go doggystyle, so to speak.  It's, ofcourse an adaption of the famous musical ''West Side Story'', but with dog characters in the lead and Dutch versions of the music score originally written by Leonard Bernstein.

Well, if this is not something look forward to, whether you are a doglover or not, I don't know what is.

The official opening of The Museum of Dogs is on Tuesday December 19th at 17.00 hrs and after that, the museum will open daily from 11.00 to 23.00 hrs, all the way through Christmas up and untill with the final closer at January 6th, 2018: the one-day mini festival We Love Dogs.

So, what exactly am I going to show for this special exhibit then? Well, that will be revealed in another blogpost, SOON. 

Another small visual impression of the Makers Expo at Toko51!

Yesterday I was host at the Makers Expo at Toko51 (my joint project together with Cretopia Rotterdam). It was a relatively quiet day, so I took the opportunity of making some more pictures, especially as this exhibition is what you could call a work in progress in itself, as some artists and makers have already left, because of other obligations and/or opportunities, but also some new faces have come on board and joined our beautiful adventure called Het Museum van de Wijk (The Community Museum) based in Het Oude Westen Rotterdam! 

In a next blog*, I will elaborate a bit more on my own Witty Art presentation and why I made the choice to exhibit this new artwork. Stay tuned for more!

Het Museum van de Wijk July 15 - September 30 2017
Toko 51, West-Kruiskade 51 Rotterdam
Open Thursdays - Saturdays 13-17hrs.
Artwork & Creative Crafts by Jaap de Korte, John Vandergalien, Wolbert van Dijk, Rio Holländer, Snotnose, Mireia Romaguera, Amine van Lieshout/BagMe, Margo Ramp, Diana van Wijk, Judith de Leeuw/JDL Streetart, Donovan Spaanstra, Esther Schoonhoven, Lenny O., Piet Hein, Robin Hendriks, Francisca Ghiraw, Laura Ketting, Akke Haarsma & Students and Christy de Witt.

* Additional edit September 6 2017: This particular blog has now been written and online, you can read it by clicking here, enjoy!