Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The challenge
Depot Boijmans van Beuningen is the world’s first publicly accessible art depot, with over 151,000 collected works of art in their storage now visible to the public eye. Visitors can see not only the collection itself, but also all the work involved in managing and maintaining a collection. A groundbreaking concept like that should come with a spectacular launch party. As such, Boijmans van Beuningen was looking for a partner who understood the depot’s story and could also translate this into a creative festivity.
The solution
The mirrored wall of the depot reflects the Rotterdam skyline. During the launch event, the people of Rotterdam could see themselves being reflected on, inside of, and in front of the depot; the conceptual principle being “balance”. Balance between storing and displaying, protecting and experiencing, balance between old and new.
To symbolize this, five vertical dancers swayed along the facade of the depot. There was a BMX’er and a spoken word performance by artist M. There were hundreds of people who marveled at the grandeur the depot has to offer. King Willem-Alexander attended the ceremonial opening of the building.
The result
The cultural addition of Rotterdam-based artists made the opening of Depot Boijmans van Beuningen an iconic moment, which was highlighted in the national media. A rightful spotlight on this unique collection; the collection of the people of Rotterdam.
