Walking Seminar Den Haag

About the new role of art in public space

The podcasts are available (for free) on:
www.walkingseminar.stroom.nl

Stroom offers walking enthusiasts a glimpse of the city of the future through four audio tours. During four walks in The Hague, four artists and four scientists take you along in their conversations about urgent themes that are relevant to the city. They reflect on the question "What is the future of public space?" The podcasts/walks are curated by heritage researcher Christian Ernsten and documentary photographer Dirk-Jan Visser made by radiomaker Marten Minkema. Ernsten, Minkema and Visser are the authors of the acclaimed book and podcasts Voorland Groningen. Wandelingen door het Antropoceen.

These are the walks / podcasts:
The last walk, Colonialism in the city, is available in English!

Water in de stad
City district: Centrum-Segbroek
Distance: 7 km
Language: in Dutch only!
By Henriette Waal (artist, The Hague) and Clemens Driessen (cultural-geographer, Rotterdam).
The starting point for this walk is the project The making visible the source of the Haagse Beek (1992) by artist Krijn Giezen. The Haagse Beek was originally created to provide the Hofvijver with fresh water from its source at Kijkduin, but has since changed dramatically and become polluted. What is the current relationship between water, natural life and the city?

Metabolisme van de stad
City District: Wateringseveld
Distance: 7 km
Language: in Dutch only!
By Anne Geene (artist, Den Haag) and Roy Remme (environmentalist, Utrecht).
This walk starts at the Bomenmuseum (2008) by herman de vries in Wateringse Veld. The artist, whose work focuses on the fractured relationship between man and nature, had 300 different species of trees planted all over this district. Are we sufficiently aware of the regenerative capacity of the green lungs in a city and how the quality of our living environment is affected by the emission of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and particulate matter?

Veiligheid van de stad
City district: Scheveningen
Distance: 4 km
Language: in Dutch!
By Shailoh Phillips (artist, The Hague) and Patricia de Vries (philosopher, Maastricht).
In 2013, the design by Spanish architect and urban planner Manuel de Sola-Morales Rubio made Scheveningen Boulevard more attractive and safer. However, it was only a partial success. The seaside resort attracts more and more people, but women are still intimidated on the street and safety is once again an issue. Therefore, as part of its smart city program, the municipality wants to implement digital tools. In what way can the artist, through digital or traditional techniques, contribute to a feeling of safety in the urban environment?

Colonialism in the city
City District: Center
Distance: 4 km
Language: in English!
By Michelle Piergoelam (artist, Rotterdam) and Nick Shepherd (archeologist, Aarhus).
On how the traces of colonialism play a role in contemporary society. The history of The Hague is closely linked to its colonial past. The Hague Historical Museum and websites such as mappingslavery.nl and pasadopresente.nl emphatically demonstrate this. Partly due to protest movements such as #kickoutzwartepiet and #blacklivesmatter, discussions about our past of slavery and decolonization are now an integral part of our public space. Will this new awareness not only change our view of the city's past, but also have an impact on its future design?

Christian Ernsten & Dirk-Jan Visser
Christian Ernsten works as a heritage researcher for Maastricht University. He uses walking as a research method. Dirk-Jan Visser is a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. As a documentary photographer he uses walking as a method to explore landscapes.
For earlier walks by Christian Ernsten and Dirk-Jan Visser and projects using walking as a research method:
>> walkingseminar.org

Walking Seminar Den Haag was commissioned by Stroom Den Haag and is part of the longterm program Antropologie van de publieke ruimte, exploring new methods and ways to relate to public space..

Colophon
Curated by: Dirk-Jan Visser and Christian Ernsten
Contributions: Henriette Waal & Clemens Driessen, Anne Geene & Roy Remme, Shailoh Phillips & Patricia de Vries, Michelle Piergoelam & Nick Shepherd
Direction and production podcasts: Marten Minkema
Website design: Erik Wong
Website production: Aart Jan van der Linden
Mixing, music and soundscape: Mat Wijn
Project supervisor on bealf of Stroom Den Haag: Lennard Dost

Walking Seminar Den Haag is also made possible by Mondriaan Fund, City of The Hague, Maastricht University, Royal Academy of Art The Hague.


Walking Seminar Den Haag. Water in de Stad (along the Haagse Beek). Radiomaker Marten Minkema in conversation with artist Henriette Waal
photo: Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Water in de Stad (walk along the Haagse Beek). Artist Henriette Waal and researcher Clemens Driesen.
photo: © Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Metabolisme van de Stad (Wateringseveld). Radiomaker Marten Minkema in conversation with artist Anne Geene
photo: Roy Remme, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Metabolisme van de Stad (Wateringseveld).
photo: Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Metabolisme van de Stad (Wateringseveld).
photo: Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Metabolisme van de Stad (Wateringseveld).
photo: Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021
Walking Seminar Den Haag. Metabolisme van de Stad (Wateringseveld).
photo: Dirk-Jan Visser, 2021