ARTZUID – Amsterdam’s sculpture biennale opens

Jan Fabre (Belgium) - Search for Utopia

John and Yoko famously spent their honeymoon in bed in Amsterdam’s Hilton Hotel on the Apollolaan. If Artzuid had been on at the time, it may have drawn them down to the street.

This biennial art event (well, the first one was two years ago) is on its way to becoming a major Amsterdam institution. We hope it will get there.

Artzuid (‘Art South’ – a reference to its location in the Old South district) will run from May 27th to August 28th.

A familiar face - Rodin's Balzac

Artist and writer Jan Cremer has selected 58 mainly large scale sculptures from around the world for the event. Many of the big names are there – Rodin, Dali, Miro, Dubuffet – as well as artists from Holland and its former colonies Suriname and Curacao who may be lesser known.

While it’s good to see serious major works by the big boys, I would have liked to see more new work, particularly work specifically created with the location in mind.

One of the joys of Sydney’s annual Sculpture by the Sea is the way many artists approach the task of using the environment, in witty, startling or transforming way.

Amsterdam doesn’t have clifftops overlooking crashing surf, but this site in Oud Zuid is visually interesting in its own way. I’d like to see more use made of the Minervalaan’s perfect avenue of trees and the lawns and gardens of the up-market Apollolaan.

Frederic Beaufils (France) - Terroir

Maybe I’m too influenced by the Masterchef/Idol phenomenon, but I also enjoy the competitive aspect of Sydney’s sculpture event. I don’t care who wins; art shouldn’t be created with eyes on the prize. However, part of the enjoyment is slagging off the stupid decisions of the judging panel, comparing notes with friends and voting for the People’s Choice Award at the end of the day.