The extent of your right to mobility depends mainly on which passport you happened to have obtained, namely through birth. Holders of a Dutch passport can travel to almost one hundred and seventy countries without a visa. Those who have to travel with a Pakistani passport can travel visa-free to less than ten countries, including Haiti and The Gambia.
The bottom line is that the world can be divided into two: those who hold passports for superhumans (say, an American, English, Australian, Canadian, or EU passport) and those who hold passports for the damned – with the stateless beings doomed even more.
www.hansovervliet.com
curiositas@zeelandnet.nl
studio address | Dreesstraat 2, Vlissingen
LUXFER
text | the panopticum inside out people on how people reacted . . . people&placesISO-code artists' initiatives involved summary works in exhibitions
DISTANT SUFFERING | the project colophon
About this catalog
The people participating in DISTANT SUFFERING XXII | i.d. of inequality each have chosen a place in their public space that is important to them to hang the poster. That importance can be described as the most beautiful spot, the most charged, the most activistic, the most intimate, the most striking, the most historical, the most idyllic, the busiest, the most directly referring to travel, the place where (power)politics takes place, the daily environment, the most touristic that the city is known for, the most bland, the most dilapidated, etcetera. During the project, a number of people chose to hang and photograph the poster in several places that represent them.
Some participants photographed themselves, alone or with a co-performer, which adds an extra dimension to the place.
For a clear overview, in the first part of this catalogue in most cases I have chosen and placed one photo from a city, a village or the country side. This selection is followed by collections of pictures of the contributor who have hung the poster in several places.
After the derivative projects in which I participated, you will find a number of photos with participants. At the very end, finally, a list of the participating people and their places.
Introduction
In our globalized world, there are many political contradictions: rich - poor, white - black, north - south, et cetera. In recent years you have also seen this contradiction increasingly clearly expressed in mobility. Especially in the western world, travelling has taken extreme forms with the rise of tourism, and the globalization of internationally oriented companies, research centers, universities, et cetera.
The driving force behind this internationalization, neoliberalism, is expressed in the free movement of people, goods, services and information, in short of unrestrained mobility. When study that mobility, its dynamics are at least ambiguous. On the one hand, the flow of (labor) migrants is being held back, while a prosperous, highly 'white' elite is getting more and more freedoms. As stated, this freedom is reflected, for example, in a global tourism industry used by this elite. This tourism destroys the social structures of places that enjoy the special attention of tourists. Tourism pollutes and destroys things. Tourism destroys exactly what attracts it, says the Dutch novelist Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
Globalization of multinationals also requires extreme mobility of people and goods. This also applies to the internationalization of universities that offer a student elite par-tial foreign education and work experience. In this way they take a lead on the international labor market.
elite partial foreign education and work experience. In this way they take a lead on the international labor market.
This mobility contrasts sharply with the necessary escape from war and poverty of migrants. There is no warm welcome for them, as western people can expect everywhere. No infrastructure in which they feel safe, no tax benefits, but countless dangers and hardships and hopeless admission criteria. Their mobility is restricted as much as possible and sold to us in terms of 'reception in the region'. While reality expresses itself in degrading refugee camps.
In short, mobility is currently one of the clearest examples of privilege.
The poster shows one of the few similarities between these different travellers, namely their luggage. The poignant difference is in the contents of these suitcases, bags and backpacks.
2020 | W.F.T. van HoutumEinführung – Uebersetzung Alina Achenbach
In unserer globalisierten Welt gibt es viele politische Widersprüche: reich - arm, weiß - schwarz, Nord - Süd usw. In den letzten Jahren hat sich dieser Widerspruch auch in der Mobilität immer deutlicher bemerkbar gemacht. Insbesondere in der westlichen Welt hat das Reisen mit dem Aufstieg des Tourismus und der Globalisierung international ausgerichteter Unternehmen, Forschungszentren, Universitäten usw. extreme Formen angenommen.
Die treibende Kraft hinter dieser Internationalisierung, der Neoliberalismus, drückt sich im freien Verkehr von Menschen, Gütern, Dienstleistungen und Informationen aus, abgesehen von uneingeschränkter Mobilität. Wenn wir uns diese Mobilität näher ansehen, ist ihre Dynamik jedoch zumindest nicht eindeutig. Einerseits wird der Zustrom von (Arbeits-) Migranten zurückgehalten, während eine wohl-habende, weit überwiegend „weiße“ Elite immer mehr Freiheiten erhält.
Wie bereits erwähnt, spiegelt sich diese Freiheit beispielsweise in einer globalen Tourismusbranche wider, die von dieser Elite genutzt wird. Dieser Tourismus zerstört die sozialen Strukturen von Orten, die die besondere Aufmerksamkeit von Touristen genießen. Der Tourismus verschmutzt und zerstört Dinge. Der Tourismus zerstört genau das, was ihn anzieht, sagt der niederländische Schriftsteller Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
Die Globalisierung multinationaler Unternehmen erfordert auch eine extreme Mobilität von Menschen
dert auch eine extreme Mobilität von Menschen und Gütern. Dies gilt auch für die Internationalisierung von Universitäten, die einer Elite von Studierenden eine teilweise ausländische Ausbildung und Berufserfahrung bieten. Auf diese Weise übernehmen sie eine Führungsrolle auf dem internationalen Arbeitsmarkt.
Diese Mobilität steht in starkem Kontrast zu der notwendigen Flucht vor Krieg und Armut von Migranten. Den herzlichen Empfang, den die westlichen Menschen überall erwarten können, gibt es für sie nicht. Keine Infrastruktur, in der sie sich sicher fühlen, keine Steuervorteile, sondern unzählige Gefahren, Nöte und hoffnungslose Zugangskriterien. Ihre Mobilität ist so weit wie möglich eingeschränkt und wird uns im Sinne eines „Empfangs in der Region“ verkauft. Derweil drückt sich die Realität in erniedrigenden Flüchtlingslagern aus. Kurz gesagt, Mobilität ist derzeit eines der deutlichsten Beispiele für Privilegien.
Das Poster zeigt jedoch eine der wenigen Ähnlichkeiten zwischen diesen verschiedenen Reisenden, nämlich ihr Gepäck. Der entscheiden-de Unterschied besteht im Inhalt dieser Koffer, Taschen und Ruck-säcke.
W.F.T.
van HoutumIntroducción - traducción Núria Bofarull | Catalán
Nuestro mundo globalizado está lleno de contradicciones políticas: rico - pobre, blanco - negro, norte - sud, etcetera. En los reciente años hemos asistido al claro incremento de esta contradicción, expresada a través de la movilidad humana. Especialmente en el mundo occidental, viajar ha mutado en formas extremas con el auge del turismo, la globalización de compañías internacionales, centros de investigación, universidades, y un largo etcetera.
La fuerza latente detrás de esta internacionalización, el neoliberalismo, encuentra su expresión en la libre circulación de personas, mercancías, servicios y información, en esencia: una movilidad sin límites. Si estudiamos esta movilidad, sus dinámicas son por lo menos ambiguas. Por un lado, el flujo de trabajadores migrantes se contiene en contraste a la próspera élite -mayormente compuesta por blancos occidentales- que va ganando privilegios y libertades. En ello se refleja, por ejemplo, una industria global de turismo diseñada para esta élite. Es ese turismo el que destruye las estructuras sociales de los lugares que reciben especial atención de los turistas. El turismo contamina y destruye lugares y cosas. El turismo destruye precisamente aquello aquello que lo atrae, en palabras de la escritora holandesa Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
La globalización de multinacionales requiere también de una movilidad extrema de personas y bienes. Esto también se aplica a la internacionalización de
de una movilidad extrema de personas y bienes. Esto también se aplica a la internacionalización de universidades que ofrecen a una élite estudiantil parte de su oferta educativa y experiencia laboral en el extranjero. De esta forma se promueve su liderazgo en el mercado económico internacional.
Esta movilidad contrasta fuertemente con la necesidad de aquellos que emigran escapando de la guerra y la pobreza. No hay una bienvenida cálida para ellos, como ocurre con los viajeros occidentales allí donde van. No hay una infraestructura que les de seguridad, ni beneficios fiscales, solo incontables peligros, dificultades y criterios de admisión sin esperanza. Su movilidad se restringe tanto como sea posible y se nos vende en términos de 'recepción en el país'. Mientras que la realidad se expresa en la degradación de los campos de refugiados.
Y es que, en resumen, la movilidad es uno de los más claros ejemplos de privilegio. Este póster muestra una de las pequeñas similitudes entre estos viajeros tan distintos: su equipaje. La gran diferencia está en el contenido de estas maletas, bolsos y mochilas.
W.F.T. van Houtum
Introduzione | traduzione Sebastian
Nel nostro mondo globalizzato si possono notare numerosi contrasti politici: ricchi - poveri, bianchi - neri, nord - sud, ecc. Negli ultimi anni, queste contraddizioni si sono espresse sempre più chiaramente anche in termini di mobilità. Soprattutto nel mondo occidentale, gli spostamenti hanno assunto forme estreme con l'aumento del turismo e la globalizzazione delle imprese, dei centri di ricerca, delle università, ecc. a vocazione internazionale.
La forza trainante di questa internazionalizzazione, il neoliberismo, si manifesta nella libera circolazione delle persone, dei beni, dei servizi e delle informazioni, in breve nella mobilità sfrenata. Guardando a questa mobilità, le sue dinamiche sono, a dir poco, a doppio taglio. Da un lato, il flusso di migranti (per motivi di lavoro) viene frenato, mentre a un'élite benestante e in gran parte "dalla pelle bianca" vengono concesse sempre più libertà.
Questa libertà - come già detto - si esprime, tra l'altro, in un'industria turistica globale di cui questa élite approfitta. Questo turismo distrugge le strutture sociali dei luoghi che godono di particolare attenzione da parte dei turisti. Il turismo inquina e distrugge le cose. Il turismo distrugge proprio ciò che lo attrae, afferma la scrittrice olandese Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
La globalizzazione delle multinazionali richiede anche un'estrema mobilità di persone e merci. Lo stesso vale per l'internazionalizzazione delle università, che
un'estrema mobilità di persone e merci. Lo stesso vale per l'inter-nazionalizzazione delle università, che offrono all'élite degli studenti una parziale formazione all'estero e un'esperienza lavorativa. In questo modo, gli studenti hanno un vantaggio sul mercato del lavoro internazionale.
Questa mobilità contrasta nettamente con la necessaria fuga dei migranti dalla guerra e dalla povertà. Per loro non c'è un'accoglienza calorosa, come quella che attende gli occidentali ovunque. Non ci sono infrastrutture in cui sentirsi al sicuro, né benefici fiscali, ma innumerevoli pericoli e difficoltà e criteri di ammissione senza prospettive. La loro mobilità è limitata al massimo e ci viene venduta in termini di "accoglienza nella regione". Mentre la realtà si esprime in campi profughi degradanti.
La mobilità, insomma, è attualmente uno degli esempi più evidenti di privilegio. Il manifesto mostra una delle poche somiglianze tra questi viaggiatori molto diversi tra loro, ovvero i loro bagagli. La differenza sostanziale sta nel contenuto di queste valigie, borse e zaini.
W.F.T. van Houtum
No nosso mundo globalizado, existem muitas contradições políticas: pobres-ricos, brancos-negros, nortesul, etc. Nos últimos anos também temos visto esta contradição expressa de forma cada vez mais clara na mobilidade. Especialmente no mundo ocidental, as viagens assumiram formas extremas com a ascensão do turismo e a globalização de empresas internacionais, centros de pesquisa, universidades, etc.
A força motriz desta internacionalização, o neoliberalismo, exprime-se na livre circulação depessoas, bens de consumo, serviços e informação, em suma, na mobilidade desenfreada.
Ao estudar essa mobilidade, sua dinâmica é no mínimo ambígua. Por um lado, o fluxo de trabalhadores migrantes é contido, enquanto uma elite próspera, majoritariamente composta por pessoas brancas, obtém cada vez mais privilégios e liberdades.
Como afirmado, esta liberdade reflete-se, por exemplo, numa indústria turística global direcionada para esta elite. “Este turismo destrói as estruturas sociais dos locais que recebem atenção especial dos turistas. O turismo polui e destrói coisas. O turismo destrói exatamente aquilo que o atrai”, diz o romancista holandês Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
A globalização das multinacionais também exige extrema mobilidade de pessoas e bens. Isto também se aplica à internacionalização de universidades que oferecem a um estudante de elite parte de sua formação e experiência laboral no estrangeiro. Desta forma, promove-se a sua liderança no mercado econômico internacional.
Esta mobilidade contrasta fortemente com a necessidade daqueles que emigram para escapar da guerra e da pobreza. Não há boas vindas calorosas para eles, como há para os viajantes ocidentais onde quer que vão. Não há infraestrutura que lhes dê segurança, nem bene-fícios fiscais, apenas inúmeros perigos, dificuldades e critérios de admissão sem perspectivas. A sua mobili-dade é restringida ao máximo e vendida para nós em termos de recepção no país. Embora a realidade se ex-presse na degradação dos campos de refugiados. Em suma, a mobilidade é atualmente um dos exemplos mais claros de privilégio. O cartaz mostra uma das poucas semelhanças entre estes diferentes viajantes: a sua bagagem.
A diferença marcante está no conteúdo dessas malas, bolsas e mochilas.
DISTANT SUFFERING XXII | i.d. of inequality
work edition #1 - #7
full colour poster A1 [ 59,4 x 84 cm. ] on 135 gr. MC paper with parafernalia on ‘mobility’
qr-code linking to the main text and in this catalog
First
Inception of the seventh instalment . . .
Núria Bofarull - photographer, curators close friend -introduced the project to Sebastian at the University of Venice. Together with Vensessa.com, a large manifestation will be held in the month of June against the mass tourism that is destroying Benice and in favour of the reoccupation of Venice. The number 49,999 indicates the city's unlivable low population.
This edition found a place in the contemporary art section. The pastingof the posters was well documented.
To that end, please see
In vista della sesta puntata . . .
Núria Bofarull - fotografa, amica dei curatori - ha presentato il progetto a Sebastian all'Università di Venezia. Insieme a Vensessa.com, nel mese di giugno si terrà una grande manifestazione contro il turismo di massa che sta distruggendo la Benetia e a favore del riallestimento di Venezia. Il numero 49.999 indica la popolazione non vuota della città.
Questa edizione ha trovato posto nella sezione di arte contemporanea. L'incollaggio è stato ben documentato. A tal proposito, si veda
Inception of the seventh instalment . . .
Somehow, Núria's proposal to make the poster part of an art manifestation against mass tourism in Venice and in favour of reoccupying the city, generated energy in me and as at the same time in others.
Out of the blue, emails arrived from colleagues, friends, family and befriended art institutions that again one was travelling and whether it would be desirable for one to bring a poster and by doing so to contribute to the project and its issue.
The question of whether the poster has now entered the realm of 'greentravelling' is deeply fascinating . . .
Klik hier voor de video van de performance van Jörn & Dorte Burmester Wium.
Click here for the video of the performance by Jörn & Dorte Burmester Wium.
Port ElisabethZA
KyotoJAP | Hetty (†) | Fushimi Inari Shrine | 25/05/’23
work in exhibitions
CURATORIAL COMMITTEE
Dr. Valerio Villoresi – President of Mellone Foundation Museo Dario Mellone
Dr. Manuel Zoia – President of Independent Artists, Art Project Manager
Dr. Martina Buttiglieri - Art Historian and Curator Assistant
Opening
Riegrova 347, Česká Skalice
Czech Republic
DISTANT SUFFERING
exhibition June 11 – July 30, 2021
artist talk on June 11, 2021
Slipvillan on Långholmen | Stockholm – de aningslösa / the clueless Vernissage
Saturday June 4, 2022
The exhibition is open until Sunday June 19, 2022
Next page: artist talk on June 5, 2022
the panopticon inside out
The panopticon inside out
I am from the era of the passport. The time with real physical borders. Marked by movable red and white barriers over the road. With men – indeed, mostly men - in uniform. Their cap torn almost over the eyes. And you waiting in line.
I remember quite clearly what it was like. In the back of the car, very curious about the building in front of those uniformed men. They look stern, grumpy. Gesticulating in short gestures. Their language is made up of strange sounds. Sounds almost a little like barking.
The customs officers look ino the blue-grey booklets that my father gives them through the window. They walk around the car searchingly. Look from the book to me, from the book to my brother, to my mother. My father looks a little worried. Then the booklets come back in the car. Short nod. Apparently intended a sign for driving. And, then, suddenly you are 'in another country'. You actually immediately felt what that meant, even if you couldn't find the words for it. Also the strange notes and the coins, for example, were indications. And you could heard and read it.
Years later, those few meters became some hundred exciting miles in 'no-stopping' territory; the road through East Germany to West Berlin.
Later still, except for a single country, for me the whole planet became a completely open area because of my passport.
As Arnon Grunberg points out in “Migration is not a crisis – it is collective violence” writes: 'The extent of your right to mobility depends mainly on which passport you happened to have obtained, namely through birth. Holders of a Dutch passport can travel to almost one hundred and seventy countries without a visa. Anyone who has to travel with a Pakistani passcollective violence” writes: 'The extent of your right to
visa. Anyone who has to travel with a Pakistani passport can travel visa-free to less than ten countries, including Haiti and The Gambia.' 1
The German sociologist Steffen Mau analyses how and by what means what he calls ‘new sorting machines’ simultaneously create mobility and immobility: 'Borders must open like department store doors for desired travellers, for others they must remain closed tighter than ever. Nowhere is the Janus face of globalization more visible than at the national borders of the 21st century.’ (…) ‘Borders have become increasingly selective and – supported by digitization – upgraded to smart borders. And border control has expanded enormously in terms of space, has even become a global enterprise, breaking away from the territory as such.’ 2
In 1791, Jeremy Bentham presented his solution to the ideal prison. He designed a round-shaped building that consists of a central hall surrounded by rings of cells, constructed on different floors. Each cell has two windows: one facing the outside and one facing the central hall. One supervisor in the hall is sufficient to monitor, know and control all residents.
Bentham called this principle the panopticon; derived from the Greek all-seeing. The basic principles of the panopticon: individualisation - one cell, one resident, everyone is always everywhere fully visible, the guard can see the cell occupants, but they do not see him, they only know his presence. Costly permanent surveillance turns into cheap disciplining and repression gives way to "voluntary" submission.
The panopticon, the all-seeing building, can be used for many institutions: as a prison, a school, a workplace or a hospital. Bentham emphasizes that power and knowledge go hand in hand in the panopticon. Goals: checking, disciplining, monitoring, studying, comparing, improving, etc.
hand in the panopticon. Goals: checking, disciplining, monitoring, studying, comparing, improving, etc.
This was a totally new type of surveillance / inspection that affected the imagination more than the senses. The guard’s omniscient eye meant that instead of being physically punished (affecting the senses), prisoners were controlled only by being visible (influencing the imagination). Michel Foucault described this design as a dispositive*, the architectural expression of a more general mechanism of power in which the 'abnormal' - be it lepers, madmen, criminals or homeless - becomes the subject of control. 3
In these times one could add ‘fugitives’, ‘terrorists’, etc.
The the Korean-German sociologist Byung-Chul Han observes in his “The transparent society” 4 that 'The whole new thing about the digital panopticon is above all that the cell occupants now actively participate in construction and main-tenance, namely by exhibiting themselves in all openness'. ‘Today the entire globe is developing into a panopticon. There is no outside space. The panopticon is becoming total. No wall sepa-rates inside from outside. Google and social networks, which present themselves as spaces of freedom, are assuming panop-tic forms. Today surveillance is not occurring as an attack on freedom, as is normally assumed. Instead, people are volunta-rily surrendering to the panoptic gaze. They deliberately colla-borate in the digital panopticon by denuding and exhibiting themselves. The prisoner of the digital panopticon is a perpe-trator and a victim at the same time. Herein lies the dialectic of freedom. Freedom turns out to be a form of control.’
So, Bentham’s panopticon still applies more than ever and has extra power with the help of a new medium and its language: big data and algorithms.
In our current globalized information society, a very extensive database of almost everyone looks at us in the panopticon way. Nothing that happens on any part of the planet can there-fore remain in an outside world. No terra nulla, no blank spots on the mental map, no unknown, let alone unknowable countries and peoples. “The world no longer has an exterior where problems can be left out or left behind. What happens in one place in the world affects how elsewhere other people live, hope or expect to live. No well-being is innocent of the other's misery” . 5
New security methods are developed and introduced every day. The importance of passports and identity papers, travel permits (invitations) and visas is increasing. The monitoring of individuals shifts from localized, personal encounters with e.g. customs officials at the border to a remote identification technology that is collected and stored in an electronic data-base.
The system of controlling groups of (labor)migrants for example, is steadily changing into proactive selection and ultimo exclusion due to the rapidly ‘improving’ digital techniques. Globalization divides as much as it unites; it divides as it unites, Zygmunt Bauman notes in the preface to his book Globalization: The Human Consequences. 6
For an affluent highly 'white' elite, traveling to faraway places is simply part of their "good life." They see it as a primary right. Bucket lists of must-see destinations, preferably illustrated with as many selfies as possible as visual evidence. A completely different use of the d-base.
Historian Mark Poster called the electronic database an updated cyber version of the panopticon. 7 But unlike the panopticon, which ensures that no one can escape from the monitored area, the primary function of the d-base is to ensure that no one enters under questionable pretences. In that way the d-base becomes an instrument of selection, separation and exclusion. It keeps the global elite "on the move" and literally keeps the locals in place.
However, because of that strategy - selection, separation and exclusion - the d-base cannot be described as a panopticon. In the words of Didier Bigo in his “Globalized (in) Security”, this is therefore not a panopticon that has been transposed to a global level, but a Ban-opticon. The term 'ban' refers to both exclusion and the power of professional politicians to suspend the law.
The Ban-opticon aims to actively deprive their mobility of a certain, but very large group of people, excluding an elite; one of the rules of power inequality in the neoliberal ideology of globalization.
In 2021 the West developed yet another technology within the Ban-opticon: the Corona app. ‘While the corona passport facilitates free travel in the global north, people in the global south see their access to large parts of the world only further blocked by QR scanners. As Taylor 8 observes: ‘If you live in a poor country and want to travel – for example to study or visit family, which should be every-one’s right – it is often very difficult to get a visa. The introduction of corona passports makes that even more difficult. Now you not only have to prove that you are financially self-reliant and have a reason to travel into the country, you also have to prove that you have been vaccinated with a vaccine that has been approved by that country.’ live in a poor
with a vaccine that has been approved by that country.’
‘Even vaccines that are chemically identical to vaccines from Western pharmaceutical companies are not approved. The problem revolves around political recognition.’
So also a global pandemic contributes to a (biopolitical 9) inequality in mobility.
* (social apparatus) that generates, collects and produces ways of looking, speaking, exercising power and subjectivities.
1. Arnon Grunberg, Migratie is geen crisis – wél collectief geweld. NRC 19/11/’2021
2. Steffen Mau, Sortiermaschinen: Die Neuerfindung der Grenze im 21. Jahrhundert, C.H.Beck, 2021
3. Michel Foucault, Discipline, Toezicht en Straf. De geboorte van de gevangenis, Historische uitgeverij, Groningen, 1997.
4. Byung-Chul Han, The Transparency Society, Stanford University Press, 2012
5. Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Public Affairs, Hachette Book Group, 2019
6. Zygmunt Bauman, Liquid Times: Living in an Age of Uncertainty, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2007
7. M. Poster, ‘Database As Discourse, Or Electronic Interpellations’, in: Bauman, Globalization: The Human Consequences, Columbia University Press, 1998
8. Dr. Linnet Taylor, de Groene Amsterdammer – 08/11/’21
9. Michel Foucault, The birth of biopolitics, lecture series from 1978-1979, published posthumously in 2004. The Dutch translation dates from 2013
‘work’music:
vijay iyer & mike ladd: in what language?
[ thanks giel louws ]
On how people reacted
Kia ora Hans!I am reaching out to deliver images of the placement of the 'i.d. of inequality' poster in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand).
I thought this was appropriate timing to install the poster as after 169 days of freedom, covid-19 has gotten past the border of Aotearoa and the need for travel has sent us back into a complete lack of mobility. After one case we are in a severe lockdown where we cannot leave home except for essential services (food, medical attention), and to exercise within our local area. I was able to get out and install your art-work by riding my cargo bike.
The location your poster found, after a lot of consideration from my end, was one of the first we considered as a relevant place for RM (Gallery and Project Space – ho ). I placed it on Karangahape Road, which is a place of gathering for many diverse communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, and part of RM's local area. The crossing has been painted with the progress pride flag designed by artist Daniel Quasar symbolising a more inclusive pride, with colours representing communities of colour and people who are transgender or non-binary, and it's very recognisable as Karangahape.
Karangahape is one of the oldest roads in Aotearoa and existed several centuries before European settlers arrived. In the previous century it became the main shopping centre in the city, then later from the 1970's businesses started to move out of the area and the street became a red light district, and now it is a mix of clubs, arts communities, ethnicities, LGTBQI+ friendly spaces, and some gentrification.
I hope this choice of place is of interest to you, I will try to get more photos of the work as I pass by and send them along if it isn't removed.
Ngā mihi Sarah Mohawk RMMiddelburgNL | Hans&Willy
VlissingenNL | Dani&Lieke
TilburgNL | Riet&Jan-Willem
EdinburghSCH | Frederick
Den HelderNL | Margo&Abe
SkopjeMK | Arta&Jana
WarenburgNL | Hans&Willy
SchottheideDE | Hans&Willy
BredaNL | Witte Rook | Kyki
OostendeB | Ginette
Den HaagNL | Stef
Sint KruisB | Yves
MiddelburgNL | Hans
AssebroekB | Jean
AntwerpenB | Jen&Frie
Den HaagNL | Ingrid&Robert
AssebroekB | Hans&Birgitte
EindhovenNL | Stef
RotterdamNL | Hans&Willy
BruggeB | Mieke&Frank&Do
VlissingenNL | leon
LeuvenB | Alina&Ruben
Larrés (Huesca)ESP|Lola&Paco
M’burgNL | roofprint pers | Leni
MadridESP | Mária
People&PlacesISO-code
GoesNL | Ingrid
RotterdamNL | Reinier
OuwerkerkNL | Ingrid
GoesNL | #Loods32 | Iris
Česká SkaliceCZ | Roman
Galerie Luxfer
Middelburg NL [Abbey] | Johan
GazaPS | Mahmoud
Millingen aan de RijnNL | Niki
BruggeB | Jan
BruggeB | Amber
BruggeB | Dominique
ZwolleNL | Peter&Anne
BruggeB | Nicky, Liliane&Chris
Brnocz | Marek
Artist-group Rafani
Prahazc | Artist-group Rafani
Litomyšlzc | Artist-group Rafani
Trenčíncz | Artist-group Rafani
WemeldingeNL | Lily
West KappelleNL | Hans&Willy
FrankfurtDE | Nojan&Anita
RotterdamNL | Tonio
MenatFR | Jan&Arthur
LisseuilFR | Jan&Arthur
Viaduc des FadesFR | Jan&Arthur
Saurret BeserveFR | Jan&Arthur
ClamecyFR | Jan&Arthur
AgersøDK | Jörn&Dorte&Sille Nor
AmsterdamNL | Giel
BremenDE | Anne&Rezan
VeniceIT | Annechien&Mattia
AkenDE | Dani
NorrköpingSE | Ruben&Saleh
BeirutLB | Alina&Nicola
NijmegenNL | Jac.
Saint Éloy-les-MinesFR | Jan
BreskensNL | Hans&Willy
GroningenNL | Ingeborg
Oosterschelde / Goese SasNL | Iris
KralendijkBES | Anne-Marie
RotterdamNL | Niki
KarachiPK | Mehreen
RotterdamNL | Ruben
DublinIE | Néstor
FujianCN | Zhuona
ChongqingCN | Shan
RotterdamNL | Zoë
VlissingenNL | Ko
MiddelburgNL | Leni arrived
ÅfarnesNO | Liselotte
BerlinDE | Rachele&Frederick
WarsawPL | Dani
LuxembourgLU | Willy&Hans
MetzFR | Willy&Hans
StrasbourgFR | Willy&Hans
ColmarFR | Willy&Hans
SélestadFR | Willy&Hans
ZürichCH | Willy&Hans
BaselCH | Willy&Hans
BaselCH | Willy&Hans
LuzernCH | Willy&Hans
Busto Garolfo / MilanoIT
Martina&Manuel
INDEPENDENT ARTISTS
Boat KielDE - KopenhagenDK
Yolanda&Harrie
KopenhagenDK |
Yolanda&Harrie
OsloNO | Yolanda&Harrie
RingebuNO | Yolanda&Harrie
MilanoIT | Willy&Hans
Trollstigen near AndalsnesNO
Yolanda&Harrie
Busto ArsizioIT | Willy&Hans
GenoaIT | Willy
BeauneFR | Willy&Hans
SantenayFR | Willy&Hans
ÅfarnesNO | Yolanda&Harrie
Dakar/ Île de GoréeSN | Hamath
NairobiKE | Jochem
MallorcaSP | Marcos / Espai St.Marc
WienAT | Gudrun / hinterland
WienAT | Markus / Kulturdrogerie
KasselDE | Jürgen O. / no institute
VilniusLT | Dainius / VITRINA&Bench
HelsinkiFI | Kamilla&Mirva Forum Box
MwanzaTZ | Alma&Kiran
GeelongAU | David / Fluxux Study
Veliko TurnovoBG
Lars&Denitsa / Heerz Tooya
Quebec CA | Rejean
Field Study International
AntwerpBE | Pierre / Linkeroever
OdzaciRS | Nenad / M.A.S.
LeidenNL | Karl
BergenNO | Charlotte
LisbonPT | Katie
BergenNO | Charlotte
People&PlacesISO-code
arrived
VlissingenNL | Jorieke / Kipvis
TallinnEE | Kaarel / Galerii Metropol
MiddelburgNL | Hans&Willy
GothenborgSE | Anders / Galleri 54
LeidenNL | Romee
AarhusDK | Sasha
Juxtapose Art Fair
BruggeBE | Sylvia
VlissingenNL | Ramon
decreet/concreet
TokyoJP | Masako
Masako Ito Design
BarcelonaCAT | Arnau
OdenseDK | Mikkel / M100
MiddelburgNL | Hans&Willy
PortoPT | Emerenciano
KyivUA | Oleg&Olga / HLEBZAWOD
AndrosGR | Artisan Art Is A Need
Aristea Gravou
KozaniGR | Annita Koutsonanou
Architecture Studio
TokyoJP | Michiyo Nishikubo
MoptiML | Ibrahim
AthensGR | Aemilia
Al-HasakahSY | Rosh
NürnbergDE | Willy&Hans
Na Chom ThianTH |
Yvonne&Mia&Rien
Česká SkaliceCZ | Willy&Hans
ŠonovCZ | Willy&Hans
PilzenCZ | Willy&Hans
WütrzburgDE | Willy&Hans
MedellínCO | Tulio
Tsumago (Gifu )JP | Ryusoke
HamburgDE | Willy&Hans
Aotearoa / AucklandNZ | Ena&Sarah
RM Artists Space
AschaffenburgDE | Willy&Hans
TilburgNL | Riet&Jan-Willem
Sea Foundation
StockholmSE | Rikard Fåhraeus
Studio44
RemersdaalBE | Rémersdael
Rèbiévå [Rembierval]
Deinze BE/ GentBE |
Katelijne De Corte
Jonas Lescrauwaet | plavvorm
LübeckDE | Willy&Hans
BelgradeSR | Katarina
Remont Gallery
StockholmSE | Willy&Hans
QuakenbrückDE | Hans&Willy
TiranaAL | Lauresha
Gallery70
Los AngelesUSA | Durden and Ray
Carlos Beltran Arechiga
LondonGB | Doris Ernst | ArtCan
Raststaette Kreuz Oberpfalzer
WaldDE | Hans&Willy
PísečnáCZ | Willy&Hans
LondonGB | Klio Krajewska
CapetownZA | Johan de Koning
Zeitz MOCAA
Port ElisabethZA | Johan de Koning
ReimsFR | Hans&Willy
KyotoJP | Hetty (†)
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Les VigresFR | Hans&Willy
border Nova GoricaSLO & GoriziaIT
Jatun Risba
HamburgBRD | Willy&Hans
Hauptbahnhof
WendtorfBRD | Willy&Hans
Edeka Supermarket
BelgradeRS| Gordana Zikic
arrived
ReykjavikIS | Erling T.V Klingenberg
BelgradeRS| Gordana Zikic
KleveBRD | Willy&Hans
Klever Weihnachtscircus
BergamoIT | Emilio Morandi
Artestudio Morandi
Tilburg | Willy&Hans
in the vicinity De Pont
People&PlacesISO-code
on the way by post
ReykjavikIS | Sunna Ástþórsdóttir
Ruggero Maggi | MilanoIT
Marcia Rosenberger | Santo AndréBR
Buenos AiresAR | Silvio De Gracia back to sender
BrnoTN | Joost&Katie
St. PetersburgRU | Irina / FFTN
twice: HamburgDE
Nadine Schwalb
Verein Gängeviertel e.V.
Disappeared / lost / given up
South DartmouthMA / USA | Katrina
BeijingCN | Liu
Torteval-QuesnayFR | Philippe
LondonGB | Gemma
RamallahPS | Tina
StellenboschZA | Neeltje
AnkaraTR | team Kova Art Space
IstanbulTR | Emre / Tasarım Bakkalı
CopenhagenDK | Niels
Buenos AiresAR | Fernando García
ColumbusUSA | John M.
TochigiJP | Keiichi
JolietteCA & MontréalCA | Elaine
KobeJP | Reiko
BarcelonaCAT | Bernat / Nüria
AthensGR | Faidra
SichuanCN | Huang
CairoEG | Sophie
Nunagawa Campus / Gallery Yuyama
Tokamachi CityJP
Visual Art Forum Ramallah | Palestine
E.T.A.J. | BucharestRO
ÖSKG Tsjörnedala Konsthal | SimrishamnSE
Commons | Selman Trtovac | BelgradeRS
∙The Netherlands
Scotland
Macedonia
Germany
Belgium
Spain
Catalonia
Gaza / Palestine
Czech Republic
∙Slovakia
France
Denmark
Italy
Sweden
Lebanon
Dutch Islands / Bonaire
Pakistan
Northern Ireland
China
∙Norway
Poland
Luxemburg
Switzerland
Senegal
Kenia
People&PlacesISO-code
countries in order of 1st contact
Greece
Canada
Austria
Finland
∙Lithuania
Turkey
Ukraine
Russia
Bulgaria
Mali
Australia
Argentina
U.S.A.
Japan
∙Serbia
Portugal
Colombia
Estonia
New Zealand
Thailand
Syria
South Korea
Jordan
Tunesia
∙West Bank / Palestine
Israel
Egypt
Romania
Albania
U.K.
Serbia
South Africa
Slovenia
Iceland
Brasil
artists' initiatives involved
arrived
WITTE ROOK | BredaNL | Kyki Vermaire
Galerie Luxfer | Česká SkalicaTN | Roman&Kate
Art collective RAFANI | PragueTN / BrnoSK | Marek Meduna
INDEPENDENT ARTISTS GALLERY | Busto GarolfoIT | Martina&Manuel
Espai St.Marc | MallorcaSP | Marcos Vidal Font
hinterland | WienAT | Gudrun Wallenböck
Kulturdrogerie | WienAT | Markus Hiesleitner
no institute | KasselDE | Jürgen O. Olbrich
VITRINA&Bench | VilniusLT | Dainius Liškevičiu
Forum Box | HelsinkiFI | Kamilla Billiers & Mirva Tarvainen
Field Study International | GeelongAU | David Dellafiora
Heerz Tooya | Veliko TurnovoBG | Lars Nordby
Circulaire132 | QuebecCA | Rejean F. Côté
linkeroever | AntwerpBE | Pierre Coric
Multimedial Art Studio | OdzaciRS | Nenad Bogdanovic
Galerii Metropol | TallinnEE | Kaarel Kütas
Galleri 54 | GothenborgSE | Anders Göransson
Juxtapose Art Fair | AarhusDK | Sasha Rose Richter
kunstwerkplaats Kipvis | VlissingenNL | Jorieke Rottier
Masako Ito Design | TokyoJP | Masako Ito
decreet/concreet | VlissingenNL | Ramon de Nennie
M100 | OdenseDK | Mikkel Larris
Gallery Emerenciano Rodrigues | PortoPT
HLEBZAWOD | KyivUA | Oleg Kharchenko & Olga Shuvalova
Artisan Art Is A Need | AndrosGR | Aristea Gravou
Annita Koutsonanou Architecture Studio | KozaniGR
RM Artists Space | Aotearoa / AucklandNZ | Ena & Sarah
Sea Foundation | TilburgNL | Riet&Jan-Willem
Studio44 | StockholmSE | Rikard Fåhraeus
plavvorm | Deinze BE/ GentBE
Katelijne De Corte & Jonas Lescrauwaet
Remont Gallery | BelgradeSR | Katarina Katarina Petrović
Gallery70 | TiranaAL | Lauresha Basha
Durden and Ray | Los AngelesUSA | Carlos Beltran Arechiga
ArtCan | LondonGB | Doris Ernst
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa | CapetownZA
Johan de Koning
Center424, Belgrade Artist in Residence | BelgradeRS
Gordana Zikic
Kling & Bang Gallery | ReykjavikIS | Erling T.V Klingenberg
Artestudio Morandi | BergamoIT | Emilio Morandi
Homenagem à Luiz Sacilotto | Santo AndréBR
Marcia Rosenberger
HOTEL DADA | Buenos AiresAR | Silvio De Gracia
Work in exhibitions
Selection pictures
Abby Complex MiddelburgNL | July 1st – September 29, 2020
The catalog in the making de roofprint pers
MiddelburgNL | July 5, 2020 – August 31, 2020
MEN OF (STREET ART) | Independent Artists Gallry
MilanIT | October 4 – October 31, 2020
Pakje Kunst [ Small Package ] Art Museum | TilburgNL
Gallery Emerenciano Rodrigues | PortoPT
Luxfer Open Space | Česká SkaliceCZ
Galerii METROPOL | TallinnEE
Slipvillan on Långholmen | StockholmSE
Hans Overvliet | DISTANT SUFFERING
W.F.T. van HoutumSince 2013, by means of the ongoing art-series DISTANT SUFFERING, the Dutch artist Hans Overvliet (Leiden, 1952) investigates the role of the media in their representation of (military) violence. This, in the context of themes as perception, memory and identity formation.
Overvliet uses a various range of media, symbols and codes, bringing together dichotomies like beauty and violence, refinement and brutality, the sublime and the vulgar.
As a reporter, Overvliet was an eyewitness to the events in the Middle East during the 1980s. Of course these experiences resonate in DISTANT SUFFERING. So aspects of power, politics, exclusion, censorship and the connection between artist, artwork and viewer infiltrate his multifaceted conceptual oeuvre.
Martha Jager, curator Vleeshal in Middelburg about the oeuvre: The dedication to art as a relational verb is central to Overvliet's work. On the one hand, the balance between poetry and criticism is special, so that the work never becomes bitter or pedantic, while at the same time the dialogue with the viewer is actively maintained. It is a tender form of activism that moves and urges action and also continuously questions the role of art.
the dialogue with the viewer is actively maintained. It is a tender form of activism that moves and urges action and also continuously questions the role of art.
Elements of DISTANT SUFFERING were exhibited in the Netherlands, Belgium, Pakistan, England, Italy, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lebanon, Germany, the U.S.A., France, Argentine, Brazil and Sweden.
In 2023, his whole body of paper collages (1999 – 2012) joined Geert Verbeke’s renowned collection of collages and assemblages.
Hans Overvliet lives in Middelburg and works in Vlissingen, both in the province of Zeeland in the South-West of the Netherlands.
Next to his art-work he is, together with his wife Willy van Houtum, the founder and every day guardian of the 27-year old space for contemporary art: ruimteCAESUUR.
Here you’ll find his extended portfolio. Here you’ll find a kind of summary of his oeuvre.
Colophon
Thanks to all the people on the previous page &
Poster A1 | edition 1-7
DTP | Rinus Roepman for Snowball
Print | de Witte print&design
Texts
W.F.T. van Houtum
Hans Overvliet
Cummunity
Alina&RubenDE/NL/B | MargoNL | Witte RookNL
IngridPS/TN/SY/JO | HansB | NéstorES/IE
Luxfer GalleryCZ | JohanZA | TakakoJP | JuneCH |
Juxtapose Art FairDK | LoekBES | ManuelIT |
Artist-group RafaniTN/SK | VassilisNL/GR | JanGA/TZ
RinusSN/ML | JanID | NúriaCAT | ElenaGR | EllenEG/TH
Supermarket Art FairSWE | SuzanneIL/PS | KaarelEE
mail-art network / Verlag Lutz WohlrabDE NO-INSTITUTE / JürgenDE
Exhibition Places
Abbey Complex | MiddelburgNL
Roofprintpers | MiddelburgNL
Loods#32 | GoesNL
MEN OF (STREET ART) | Independent Artists | MilanIT
Photo editing | Hans Bommeljé
Luxfer Open Space | Česká SkaliceCZ
Galerii METROPOL | TalinnEE | Performing Arts Festival
GLOBAL HAPPINESS / ÜLEILMNE ÕNN
Exhibition Places - continuation
Slipvillan Summer exhibition | StockholmSW
Gallery Durden and Ray | Los AngelesU.S.
Art-festival 49.999 | Venice
Feedback
Willy van Houtum | Giel Louws | Thijs Breel
Press
English | PZC
Music
vijay iyer & mike ladd: in what language?
Financial support
Vleeshal/Stichting Beeldende Kunst Middelburg (SBKM)
co-sponsoring
