15 Mar –
15 Apr 2015
Exhibition: Look across the water!
Opening Friday 5th June 2015, from 15.45 Dates exhibition 5 – 11th June 2015 Opening times 14.00 – 22.00 hrs Location Framer Framed in the Tolhuistuin Entry free
Youngsters from Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Brooklyn, New York, meet up in a special photography project
This Friday a special exhibition will open at our expo space. Foam (photography museum Amsterdam) organised, in association with The Red Hook Labs, a photography exchange project for youngsters from Amsterdam Noord, The Netherlands and Brooklyn, New York. The exchange project entitled Look across the water! introduced them to the power of photography and allowed them to meet peers from beyond their own national borders.
In March and April 2015, the youngsters (age 15-16 years) attended a series of simultaneous workshops, comprising six photography lessons. By meeting online and following the same programme together, they learned more about photography and about each other. The result of this project is an exhibition, on show in both countries (at Framer Framed in The Netherlands) with the photography of all participants.
Simultaneous workshops
As districts, both Brooklyn and Amsterdam Noord (Northern district of Amsterdam) occupy a special place in the history of their two metropolises, and both are currently undergoing important developments. Water separates both districts from the city centre, and both are currently experiencing a period of accelerated urban development. Amsterdam Noord and Brooklyn share an industrial past, but have more recently been discovered by trendy, creative city-dwellers. Both are multicultural districts, but also districts where large numbers of ‘authentic’ New Yorkers or Amsterdammers can be found.
Own environment
The programme comprised six active photography workshops and a festive conclusion with an exhibition at both locations. The themes of the workshops revolved around the direct living environment of the young people taking part, to allow them to draw on their own experiences. Foam opted for a positive approach, whereby the participants photographed their favourite spots, people and objects. The idea was to encourage an informal exchange that would highlight both the similarities and the differences between the two countries. The targeted photography assignments stimulated the young people to think about themselves, where they live and those people that are important to them.
In Amsterdam Noord Foam worked with youngsters from the secondary school, De Nieuwe Havo. In Brooklyn the Red Hook Labs worked with youngsters from the Summit Academy High School.
Photography
The series of workshops taught the participants to look more carefully and consciously at the work of professional photographers and at their own work. Another aim of the project was to enable youngsters to get to know peers living in their own neighbourhood and in another country. As they worked on the same assignments, they learned about the living environments and customs of their peers, and discovered the differences and similarities between their own culture and that of younsters elsewhere in the world. In addition, the project was a good opportunity for the participants from Amsterdam Noord to practise speaking in English. During the project the younsters were in contact via video messages and by reviewing each other’s pictures every lesson.
OPENING
In Brooklyn, NY, the exhibition Look across the water! will open on Wednesday, June 3rd, at The Red Hook Labs.
On Friday, June 5th at 16:00 the same exhibition will open at our expo space in the Tolhuistuin – everyone welcome!
The exhibition will be opened by Sabine Gimbrère (Director of the International Office, City of Amsterdam). Guests are welcome from 15.45 onwards. The exhibition will be on show in Framer Framed up to and including the 11th of June, so please drop in anytime – entry is free.
This project is made possible by the Amsterdam City Council.
Education / Photography /
