Temporary Stedelijk 1

Creativity always reveals itself in the café

Written by Babette Pöll, intern at the Press Office.

Some things attract my attention as I look around the Stedelijk Museum café: an elderly lady sits by herself and drinks a coffee, two girls take a cookie from the counter and check if the bartender has seen them, four young girls next to me pretend to work on a school project but are actually discussing the latest H&M collection. The café of the Stedelijk Museum is an interesting, inspiring and open place to keep yourself busy.

The outside of the building looks pretty vintage, but the café is certainly modern. A white light installation illuminates the room; white tables and chairs are placed throughout the space and apple and chocolate cakes decorate the white counter. Apart from the buzz of the visitors, the café probably hears more secrets than people in an office do. Eating, drinking, writing, gossiping and flirting; everything goes on in the café.

What also attracts my attention is the letter T. The T appears everywhere in the café, as it represents the exhibition of Temporary Stedelijk 2. The bartender and others wear a t-shirt with the letter T on it. The T makes me think of tea, tables and talking. Maybe this café can serve as the Montmartre of Amsterdam; a place where people come together, interact and get inspiration from.

The café shows itself as the center of the museum. The four doorways invite people to sit down and relax. I can hear a couple laughing over coffee, I can see a couple kissing under the arch of the entrance and Yutaka’s snowman sticks his head around the corner of the cafe. The art is almost part of the café and the café part of the art.

As I take my empty tea cup to the counter I hope that the conversations that take place in the café aren’t temporary and that the girls next to me decide to become fashion designers for H&M; creativity should and will start in the café of the Stedelijk Museum.

Verstrijken van de tijd

Nine hundred two thousand eight hundred and seven BC, zegt hij. Ik schrik even op want ik ben weer aan de beurt; nine hundred two thousand eight hundred and six BC. Uit alle macht probeer ik niet te struikelen over de vele cijfertjes, ik heb tenslotte publiek. Er zitten twee toeschouwers met hun ogen dicht op een bankje en af toe blijven andere bezoekers van het Stedelijk even staan. Ik ben samen met mede-voorlezer Peer onderdeel van een kunstwerk van de Japanner On Kawara. Peer had net als ik bedacht dat wel leuk kon zijn om een uur lang getallen tussen de 0 en 1 miljoen op te lezen. Of interessant. Of lachwekkend.
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