Art is fighting back by becoming affordable, that's what you could start thinking when you notice how the artistic sector is trying to enter the gifting market around Sinter Klaas and Christmas. We all know the traditional Christmas markets where you can buy traditional Christmas items and presents. This year Utrecht housed at least 3 staged artistic Christmas markets. Collectives of artists and designers coming together to expose in a temporary gifting gallery. Characteristic is the large amount of small and affordable items, affordable gifts, and it's not all visual arts, there is lots of semi-utilitarian and quirky items for the interior and wardrobe. There are also modern takes on Christmas items, like contemporary takes on the Christmas tree etc. (see my previous post on Utrechts creative markets around Whit weekend)
DepARTmentSTORE in the CBKU, Plompetorengracht 4, Kunst doet goed.
The CBKU housed a clear exhibition, with great curation resulting in a curious collection of interesting yet accessible art and design. Nice little things that you could easily imagine having at home adding an artistic touch to your interior or wardrobe. Some items where of course a little more outspoken, which made a good contrast. I believe it was mostly local (Utrecht) artists and designers which was also a great achievement.
Stitch-hacked furniture by Decodel
gallery impression
still-life and upcycled bench
Kerstboom Uit het beste resthout gesneden door http://www.gebroedersbosma.nl/
contemporary embroidery
De Super de Kunst, Tractieweg, 25-27th of November.
Perhaps the most artistic market, or contrary to what the name may make you think the least commercialized one, it felt most like the Atelier-route. The pop-up Art-Supermarket took place in a big industrial hall had been transformed into something vaguely resembling a supermaket making use of industrial scale scaffolding to create boots for the individual artists, some of them coming from other parts of the county. There was also space for some Christmas coziness with gluhwein and cookies.
Stairway to Heaven by http://www.gebroedersbosma.nl/
Toffe Peer by http://www.iliasernst.nl/
Cash & Carry @ Kunstliefde, Nobelstraat, geef eens kunst kado. As the name suggests the art can be carried away immediately upon paying. The exhibition is advertised to be housing professional artists and the level of the work seems quite high. Mostly visual arts, no utilitarian items. This gallery has been having a Christmas sales exhibition since 2002.
An institute of men’s fashion in the Netherlands has just opened his new shop at the Springweg in Utrecht. The street and the outside is as pretty as most of the old center in Utrecht. It doesn’t reveal anything of the industrial raw edges and glam decay that you find inside the shop. It looks like an abandoned building has been hijacked and covered with a eclectic perfect varnish, where decomposition seems to have been frozen, captured in this moment and stopped.
The space is vast, with a pleasant light bathed atrium in the middle. The floors have been stripped back to their most raw and primary state, it’s a patchwork of raw concrete, gravel filled cement and old planks. The simple bricks that are typically used for construction, lay uncovered; naked, brute and crude. The rawness and imperfections have been framed by perfect white walls and are being interrupted by perfectly geometrically shelving systems. The industrial feel is enhanced with simple uncovered fluorescent tubes in the ceiling, clothes are exhibited on iron carts painted in a subtle utilitarian camouflage green the only color that seems to have been used. Unpolished copper is highlighting details such as clothes racks, window frames and doorknobs of the change rooms. It is now already covered with fingerprints and with time it will continue to develop a varnish, and the parts that are outside will corrode into a beautiful green.
Men come from all over the Netherlands to shop at Cris, the careful selection of menswear reflects an eclectic urban casual style. The first Cris shop was opened in 1999. The vision of Cris is described as honest advise, attention and care, small-scaled and authenticity. Cris puts emphasis on honest and approachable service; the atmosphere the personnel set in the shop is helpful and friendly it feels like a warm welcome.
