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SMART Project Space

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SMART Project Space, Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

SMART Project Space (SPS or SMART) is a nonprofit platform for visual art and contemporary culture founded in 1994. It is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands near the city center in the Oud West neighborhood in a building that used to be the Pathological Anatomical Laboratory. SMART Project Space is dedicated to supporting artists and stimulating new relationships between the audience and artist. SMART commissions, produces, and presents a variety of contemporary exhibitions, films, and performance events, drawing together a wide range of approaches from emerging international artists.[1]

SMART has developed different platforms of artistic production and creative research - from exhibition space, to cinema, to artist studios, and to a café/restaurant. It is part community facility, part laboratory, and part center for academic inquiry because it provides an alternative to the existing institutional structures.[2]

SMART is publicly funded by the Mondriaan Foundation, Municipality Amsterdam; Bureau Broedplaatsen, DOEN Foundation, The Netherlands Film Fund, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, VSBfonds, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, Culture Ireland.

History

SMART Project Space was founded in 1994 by Thomas Peutz, who is the acting president and artistic director. It first resided on the Kloveniersburgwal, first on number 7. Later, SMART moved into a larger building, the so-called Bushuis on number 48 (now a library of the University of Amsterdam) in the center of Amsterdam. In 2000 SMART moved to the building of the former Jan Swammerdam Institute of the University on the 1e Constantijn Huygensstraat.[3] Since 2008, SMART has permanently settled in the former Pathological Anatomical Laboratory (PAL) in the Old West neighborhood of Amsterdam which is known for its diverse and eclectic ethnic and artistic community.

SMART purchased the PAL (circa 1930) building in 2005 on the Arie Biemondstraat. It started its activities in 2006 in a part of the building while the rest of the building was extensively renovated. Renovations were fully finished in 2008 with the opening of the Cafe-restaurant LAB111 and SMART Cinema. There are four levels separated according to function. Artist studios and administrative office space are on the top floor. 600 m2 of exhibition space, including a main space and a smaller project space are on the first floor. An auditorium, two cinemas and a café/restaurant, LAB111, which is accessed through the main lobby. Lab111 was awarded a "9+" score by "notoriously finicky food critic Johannes van Dam." [4]

Exhibitions

SMART invites artists to realize new projects and exhibitions, giving them opportunities to work in different contexts and across formats. The curatorial approach aims to keep the exhibition structure as flexible as possible with six core exhibitions per year. Simultaneously, solo presentations that reinforce the annual programme are exhibited. Often, artists are granted total freedom to realize their projects.[5] Since its founding in 1994, SMART has organized and produced over 59 exhibitions featuring national and international artists. Some examples of past exhibitions are: Hohere wesen befahlen: anders malen! (2001),Endure (2002),Hit & Run: Interventions in the City of Istanbul (2004), ADAM 30: international art projects through the city of Amsterdam (2005), Gavin Wades project Kiosk 7 (2008), Coalesce: Happenstance (2009), Modernity and Aesthetics of the New Black Atlantic (2010),[6] Smooth Structures (2010), Hadley+Maxwell (2010)[7]Chto Delat?: what is to be done between tragedy and farce (2011).

Studios

SMART provides 20 studios for national and international artists as a space for experimentation, contemplation and production. Six are reserved for Dutch residents and the remainder are awarded to the International Studio Programme, which provides foreign artists with an opportunity to live and work in Amsterdam for short periods of time, usually between 3–6 months. Additionally, two guest apartments are available to foreign curators and art critics travelling to Amsterdam for research purposes.

Cinema

SMART Cinema presents a mix of Art House and Experimental Film and video works from up and coming national and international filmmakers and artists. SMART Cinema´s programming focuses on a varied selection of films and video productions chosen for their stylistic originality and for the topics they address. Films and videos shown include recent art house feature films, independent documentaries, video art, old classics, modern countercultural flicks, and milestone avant-garde productions. It works with all Dutch distributors of art hourse, animation and independent content and with a growing number of international programme partners, highlighting productions that are released nationally. SMART Cinema is a podium for films that have not been acquired by Dutch distributors and has worked in association with The Rotterdam Film Festival, Goethe Institute, Hip Hop Amsterdam Film Festival, and The Film Krant. Recent SMART Cinema programs have featured films by critic Jacques Rancière.[8]

References

  1. ^ Mondriaan Foundation
  2. ^ Time Out Amsterdam, Published by Time Out Guides, 2005, Pg. 206
  3. ^ Werner Toonkt, Tuesday, November 21, 2006 (http://www.wernertoonk.nl/smart)
  4. ^ Smith, Mark, "Get Smart", Time Out Amsterdam, February 2011, Pg. 70
  5. ^ Iorga, Catalina, "What Is to Be Done between Tragedy and Farce?", Time Out Amsterdam, February 2011, Pg. 54
  6. ^ Kunstbeeld, August 2010 (http://www.kunstbeeld.nl/00/kb/nl/469_484/nieuws/14035/The_State_of_L3_@_SMART_Project_Space.html)
  7. ^ McFadden, Kegan JJ, "Hadley+Maxwell", Border Crossings, Issue No. 115, Pg. 137
  8. ^ De Groene Amsterdammer, 22-09-2010 (http://www.groene.nl/commentaar/2010-09-22/interview-met-jacques-ranciere)

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