Bermuda Open Studios
The third edition of Bermuda Open Studios took place last weekend in the center of The Hague. This artist-run initiative connects studio spaces where about 70 artists work in isolation and concentration. But instead of disappearing in the legendary triangle, the initiative tries to show the potential of the creative archipelago which consists of dozens of small islands that are part of a cultural ecosystem, the soil of a vibrant contemporary art scene. So here we go…
The first location of our trip seems a false start. The door of the building at Grote Marktstraat is closed and sealed by the municipality. Later on the route we will understand the artists had to leave the building some weeks ago due to a risk of leakage to the store beneath. Some of them are showing their work now in the project space of Trixie.
We will head on to Touchy Studios, a group of young artists, curators and designers who work in commision (Touchy Productions) and who initiate their own research based projects collectively. Touchy Collective members are Elena Apostolovski, Téa Boyarchuk, Lance Gapuz Laoyan, Jonathan Hielkema, Sandipan Nath, Manus Nijhoff, Karoliina Pärnänen, Sanne Pieters, Carmen Roca Igual and Julia Schmitz. We are witnessing the start of a new project on the topic of ‘beauty’.
The atmosphere of the typical artist studio has changed over the years, The smell of oil paint is slowly disappearing. At Trixie many artists nowadays work with digital equipment, artificial intelligence and 3D printers.
During our mmeetings many artists need their phone to show additional online documentation or recently made pictures which might illustrate the explanations of working methods or results within their practice.
In Trixies project space we meet some of the artists who had to leave their studio’s at Grote Marktstraat. Some already found a new (but again temporary) space to work in. For now the project space is set up as a tenporary studio.
The Grey Space in the Middle serves as the main hub for the event, hosting a group show, guided tours, a film program and artist talks. The upper floors of the buiding contains various studio spaces.
Like many we have seen today they often look like shared offices or even living spaces including plants large tables for a collective lunch or meeting.
The Balcony is also a studio space shared by a group of young artists who work at their own desk.
At Ruimtevaart we meet Kamila Wolszczak who is relatively new in The Hague and finding her way.
Hgtomi Rosa is another group of young artists who just moved to Helena van Doeverenplantsoen in the same building as Ruimtevaart and Billytown. Many boxes still have to be unpacked.
