Michele Carloni visits the open ateliers in the Jordaan over the weekend and talks to established Russian artist Olga Okuneva about living and working in the Netherlands.

Dutch towns and cities regularly feature ‘open days’ when you can peek into the creative spaces of the artists living around you and ask them about their work.

Almost every town has is own event and Amsterdam organises one for most of its districts in turn. The participating artists appreciate the opportunity to open their doors, above all, for the special contact they can make with the public.

A flag waving outside doors or windows, which a distinct colour and number, points out the location of the ateliers and outline the route to follow. Anyone passing by is welcome to have a look inside, and visitors are sometimes received with a cup of tea and cakes or even a glass of wine. In fact many artists have their own studio at home and therefore the visitors get the chance to see a more intimate dimension of the artists’ lives.

Although the majority of the participants are native to the Netherlands, I notice that several have international origins, evidence of the steadily growing number of foreign artists who have come to the lowlands to study or live. Many of them are certainly attracted by the advantages artists can enjoy here.

A haven for artists
Thanks to an extensive policy of art-subsidies, special funding, and other social benefits for artists, it seems that creative people in the Netherlands do not have to worry if their artistic production is not sufficient to give them economic independence. Even their atelier can be granted at a special government-subsidised price. The philosophy behind such an approach considers the artist’s right to preserve their spiritual freedom for inspiration. Therefore anything which may hamper such quietness, like material difficulties and other concerns, must be contained.

Reality not so rosy
In reality, however, the application of this policy is not quite the ideal it aspires to. Many rules and restrictions limit the number of artists who can apply for the special benefits. However, if  the applicant is serious and determined they may succeed soon or later.  Even among the participants to the open ateliers - the frequency of these events is further evidence of the special value the Dutch place on the art world -  there are conflicting opinions on the vaule of such State assistance. If the advantages are clear, there is always the risk that the security and comfort of a regular subsidy may be at the root of that lack of inspiration sometimes blatantly obvious in contemporary art.

Open ateliers in the Jordaan
Pentecost weekend (10-12 May) saw another successful edition of the Jordaan
Open Ateliers which takes place every two years. One of the most characterful districts in downtown Amsterdam, the Jordaan boasts numerous galleries and ateliers very close to one another.

Russian expat Olga finds the Netherlands ideal for artists
I talked to Russian expat and visual artist Olga Okuneva. As a fine artist Olga is an example of how easily and efficiently foreign artists can integrate into Dutch society in spite of linguistic barriers; although she is busy studying the Dutch language, she doesn’t speak it fluently yet.

Olga, who worked for many years at Cheluskinskaya (House of Russian Graphics) in Moscow, moved to Amsterdam three years ago.  This is the second time she has taken part in Jordaan Open Ateliers.   Along with illustrations and drawings, Olga’s work includes colourful etchings and lithographs.  Part of her collection is permanently exhibited in various state museums in Russia, India and Austria.

 “The Netherlands is an ideal country to live in for artists,” says Olga, who, shortly after arriving in the Netherlands obtained her personal studio-atelier and access to the graphic studio in Elandstraat, which houses the large and expensive machines needed for etching and lithographs.

“In the graphic atelier the environment very much resembles the one in Cheluskinskaya,” says Olga.

“Once, long time ago, before the economic crisis, it was also possible in Russia to have assistance from the government. Cheluskinskaya, for example, was big and the artists could even have their apartment inside the city. Then the economy went down, they sold part of the buildings, and the number of artists there steadily declined.

“Holland offers artists many opportunities; like this ‘Jordaan Open Ateliers’, were we can give live demonstrations of our work and techniques,” says Olga, who talks while continuing to paint the surface of several engraved plates before putting them through a high-pressure printing press together with a sheet of paper for the final print production.

People continue to come and go on this last day of the event, but Olga confirms that it is still possible to visit the artists at anytime in their ateliers throughout the year. Samples of her work are also on line on her web site www.olgaokuneva.nl.

 
Open Ateliers in June 2008
Next month in Amsterdam, artists' doors open in Het Ij (www.noorderijkunst.nl/) on the weekend of 7, 8 juni from 12:00 - 18:00 and in the Old West on the weekend of 21, 22 June (www.openateliersoudwest.nl/).

Outside of Amsterdam, open ateliers in June include four days of art and culture in Drenthe. (www.kunstcultuur4daagse.nl/)

For more information about Open Ateliers in Amsterdam and the Netherlands visit www.openateliers.nl/index.html.

For more details about the artists who participated to the Jordaan Open Ateliers visit www.openateliersjordaan.nl/index2.html.

14 May 2008

Italian expat Michele Carloni is a freelance illustrator based in Amsterdam.  

[Copyright Expatica 2008]