Rembrandt’s Night Watch – The Flashmob Version

Another bank, another flashmob, and again, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy… Is this a pattern emerging? This time, ING sponsors a celebration of the much-delayed, long-awaited opening of the renovated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. After ten years of work, the museum will

Rembrandt’s Night Watch – The Flashmob Version

Another bank, another flashmob, and again, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy… Is this a pattern emerging? This time, ING sponsors a celebration of the much-delayed, long-awaited opening of the renovated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. After ten years of work, the museum will

Boubacar Traoré

Two men in sharp suits have crossed my path this March. At one end of the scale, there was Hariton Pushwagner, but more of him later… At the other end, there was Boubacar Traoré from Mali who came to Lantaren Venster,

Boubacar Traoré

Two men in sharp suits have crossed my path this March. At one end of the scale, there was Hariton Pushwagner, but more of him later… At the other end, there was Boubacar Traoré from Mali who came to Lantaren Venster,

Celebrate Japan: Perfectionism

My ambitions for this blog are modest. As a matter of fact, for the past six months, they have narrowed to writing and publishing one post a month. Consequently, I have roughly forty minutes to write my entry for February

Celebrate Japan: Perfectionism

My ambitions for this blog are modest. As a matter of fact, for the past six months, they have narrowed to writing and publishing one post a month. Consequently, I have roughly forty minutes to write my entry for February

North Korea on My Mind

Comrade Kim Goes Flying is the story of a young coal miner who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist with the circus. The story follows her from the coal mine in the picturesque countryside, to the city where she fails

North Korea on My Mind

Comrade Kim Goes Flying is the story of a young coal miner who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist with the circus. The story follows her from the coal mine in the picturesque countryside, to the city where she fails

Good Vibrations in Maastricht

In Maastricht the first weekend of 2013 was damp, foggy and mild, but the city shone. Maastricht wrapped in soft gray fog and glistening with drizzle may not sound like the stuff of an appealing weekend, but these were the

Good Vibrations in Maastricht

In Maastricht the first weekend of 2013 was damp, foggy and mild, but the city shone. Maastricht wrapped in soft gray fog and glistening with drizzle may not sound like the stuff of an appealing weekend, but these were the

Best of 2012: How Long Is Now

As the year draws to a close, I have decided to join the throngs of writers, bloggers, journalists and social media types in the inevitable look back at the past year. (A case of if you can’t beat ‘em, join

Best of 2012: How Long Is Now

As the year draws to a close, I have decided to join the throngs of writers, bloggers, journalists and social media types in the inevitable look back at the past year. (A case of if you can’t beat ‘em, join

Marshall McLuhan and Robot Sex

It has been a dismal autumn for the cinema here in Rotterdam, but a couple of weeks ago I spotted a gem among the endless screenings of Skyfall. Robot & Frank is set in the near future and tells the

Marshall McLuhan and Robot Sex

It has been a dismal autumn for the cinema here in Rotterdam, but a couple of weeks ago I spotted a gem among the endless screenings of Skyfall. Robot & Frank is set in the near future and tells the

Flashmob of the Year

So, it was organized by Banco Sabadell to celebrate its 130th anniversary, but I still nominate this as the flashmob of the year because of the audience reaction. Obviously, they knew something would happen, but the smiles, puzzled faces, surprised

Flashmob of the Year

So, it was organized by Banco Sabadell to celebrate its 130th anniversary, but I still nominate this as the flashmob of the year because of the audience reaction. Obviously, they knew something would happen, but the smiles, puzzled faces, surprised

A Teaser…

I like the trams here in Rotterdam, but they’re not always this much fun! How Long Is Now is the latest work by Conny Janssen Danst and this was a live promotion on tram 25 to Schiebroek earlier this autumn.

A Teaser…

I like the trams here in Rotterdam, but they’re not always this much fun! How Long Is Now is the latest work by Conny Janssen Danst and this was a live promotion on tram 25 to Schiebroek earlier this autumn.

Aphasia Dance Company: A Scattered State of Silence

I may have spent most of the 1980s and a good deal of the 1990s in Tokyo, but I was blissfully ignorant of most of what transpires on Japanese television as I didn’t own a TV set until well into

Aphasia Dance Company: A Scattered State of Silence

I may have spent most of the 1980s and a good deal of the 1990s in Tokyo, but I was blissfully ignorant of most of what transpires on Japanese television as I didn’t own a TV set until well into

Celebrate Japan: Sakamoto Kyu

As Korean rapper PSY storms up the charts with tongue-in-cheek, crazy and infectious Gangnam Style, it’s time to remember another Asian singer who broke into the big time. So, we rewind nearly 50 years to June 1963 when a song

Celebrate Japan: Sakamoto Kyu

As Korean rapper PSY storms up the charts with tongue-in-cheek, crazy and infectious Gangnam Style, it’s time to remember another Asian singer who broke into the big time. So, we rewind nearly 50 years to June 1963 when a song

At Boijmans: Sarkis

This year, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen invited the conceptual artist Sarkis to create an installation at the submarine wharf in the port of Rotterdam. Two years ago, the 5000 square meter space inspired Atelier Van Lieshout to create Infernopolis,

At Boijmans: Sarkis

This year, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen invited the conceptual artist Sarkis to create an installation at the submarine wharf in the port of Rotterdam. Two years ago, the 5000 square meter space inspired Atelier Van Lieshout to create Infernopolis,

TRACK Ghent

Feeling in need of a reward and some good food, I hopped on the train a week ago and traveled two hours south to Ghent in Belgium. Last time I was in the city was a freezing May weekend a

TRACK Ghent

Feeling in need of a reward and some good food, I hopped on the train a week ago and traveled two hours south to Ghent in Belgium. Last time I was in the city was a freezing May weekend a

At Boijmans: Micro Impact

It’s a pleasant ten-minute walk from my flat along the stately Mathenesserlaan to the Museumpark where the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, the Kunsthal, the Natural History Museum, the Chabot Museum, the Huis Sonneveld and the Netherlands Architectural Institute are grouped

At Boijmans: Micro Impact

It’s a pleasant ten-minute walk from my flat along the stately Mathenesserlaan to the Museumpark where the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, the Kunsthal, the Natural History Museum, the Chabot Museum, the Huis Sonneveld and the Netherlands Architectural Institute are grouped

Port of Rotterdam

If you live in Europe, chances are your orange juice, petroleum, coal, cat litter, sports shoes, Taiwanese-made computer etc., etc. …. came through the Port of Rotterdam. In 2011, the port handled 434.6 million tons of cargo making it the

Port of Rotterdam

If you live in Europe, chances are your orange juice, petroleum, coal, cat litter, sports shoes, Taiwanese-made computer etc., etc. …. came through the Port of Rotterdam. In 2011, the port handled 434.6 million tons of cargo making it the

Venues: Museum Boijmans van Beuningen

The Museum Boijmans van Beuningen always comes up with the goods. Every time I visit, I walk away with something delightful, funny, thought-provoking, or plain odd. Today it was a room of biotechnology art and a show on minimalism in

Venues: Museum Boijmans van Beuningen

The Museum Boijmans van Beuningen always comes up with the goods. Every time I visit, I walk away with something delightful, funny, thought-provoking, or plain odd. Today it was a room of biotechnology art and a show on minimalism in

Celebrate Japan: Sushi

A glimpse of a meal at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo awarded three Michelin stars for five years running. The restaurant is located in the subway at Sukiyabashi and seats about 10 people. Reserve a month ahead and expect to

Celebrate Japan: Sushi

A glimpse of a meal at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo awarded three Michelin stars for five years running. The restaurant is located in the subway at Sukiyabashi and seats about 10 people. Reserve a month ahead and expect to

TWOOLS 14

Every year since 1999 the Scapino Ballet has ended its season with TWOOLS, a non-stop dance festival with only one restriction… Apart from a time restriction, there are no other constraints on the choreographers. You might think that a unifying

TWOOLS 14

Every year since 1999 the Scapino Ballet has ended its season with TWOOLS, a non-stop dance festival with only one restriction… Apart from a time restriction, there are no other constraints on the choreographers. You might think that a unifying

Eenzaam Avontuur

This oversized Harley Davidson stands on the Heemraadssingel a few minutes walk from my flat. It is a monument to Anna Blaman, a prominent Dutch writer who lived her whole life just down the street at De Vliegerstraat 50 where

Eenzaam Avontuur

This oversized Harley Davidson stands on the Heemraadssingel a few minutes walk from my flat. It is a monument to Anna Blaman, a prominent Dutch writer who lived her whole life just down the street at De Vliegerstraat 50 where

Marley

If I hadn’t read Anthony Lane’s review in The New Yorker of Marley, Kevin MacDonald’s documentary about Bob Marley, I probably would have given the film a pass, not least because of its length, 144 minutes. But if he said

Marley

If I hadn’t read Anthony Lane’s review in The New Yorker of Marley, Kevin MacDonald’s documentary about Bob Marley, I probably would have given the film a pass, not least because of its length, 144 minutes. But if he said