Well, week two of my life in Amsterdam is coming to a close. I started school this week (kind of, since I don’t know if you can actually call it school).
So, the Rietveld Academie is one of the better art schools in Europe (it has quite the reputation). Over half of the students are international. Random facts, I know.
The most interesting thing: there is NO structure whatsoever.
Monday, I met with Bas van Leeuwen, the head of the Fine Arts department. He gave me an information packet and talked to me about what I can expect while I am studying at the Rietveld. I am in group 2B (which is with the third-year students in the fine arts department). I have three tutors and a mentor. Monday, since my mentor was in Tokyo, I left after my meeting with Bas. Tuesday, I went back to school and met with Loes van den Putte and Tom Thijsse, two of my tutors. Loes is a sculptor and Tom focuses on drawing instruction. After introducing myself (kind of) and being embarassed that I didn’t have any portfolio things with me, we got down to business.
Loes and Tom decided to give me a drawing assignment. The theme is “No Man’s Land”, based off of a play by the same title authored by Harold Pinter. My assignment was to read the play, then do a bunch of drawings around the theme of “No Man’s Land”. Well, that’s great. I started to write down my assignment in my sketchbook when Loes took it away and chastised me for not respecting my work as an artist.
I should note here that perhaps the scariest thing about Loes is that she reminded me a lot of Grandma House. You see, they have similar colorings and facial structures. I guess the main difference between the two (that I could find on such short contact with Loes, I am sure that there are many differences about them) was that Grandma is nice, while Loes was just kinda… not. Anyway, back to the story.
Now, I am not going to go into the difficulties I faced, trying to find an English Play in Amsterdam. It took me about four hours (and it was raining and miserable.) Finally, I found it in a used book store I had visited in my first three days here.
What I am instead going to focus on is the existential quandary Loes’s statement put me in. You see, I have avoided thinking of myself as an artist up to this point. Until now, I have just been someone who paints or draws because I am bored or because it is fun (or because it is required by my homework). Note that I haven’t defined myself as an academic, either, I am just kind of there.
Now, reading what I have written two days after first writing it, I can’t remember where I was going with that statement. Anyway…
Friday, I went to Utrecht with two kids on my program (John and John) and the IES Director Chantal. It was pretty cool. We walked from Utrecht Centraal to the Central Museum of the city, where we took a tour of the Rietveld House (a house constructed in 1920s-1930s by Gerrit Rietveld, one of Holland’s most profound architects). Being a true newbie to tourism, I once again forgot my camera, so no pictures of Utrecht there. We then walked around Utrecht for a bit, visited a few stores, went to dinner at a fancy restaurant/pub/brewery/theatre, and then caught the train back to Amsterdam Centraal (or A’Dam Centraal as it was referred to onboard the train). By this time, it was, once again, raining and dreary.
It seems as if my honeymoon period of good weather and sunshine is at an end (for it is once again, raining and windy). It is, however, a great deal warmer than Iowa at the moment. I think, all around, it is much more fun here, too.
Once I finish my drawing work, I might take a few photos and place them on the internet.
2 responses so far ↓
Mom // January 21, 2008 at 5:14 am
Sounds like things are moving along. You are an artist Brock! You are an academic also, don’t limit yourself to one or two “titles”. You can be who you want to be and if that is a
ArtistSociologistTheaterLovingDesignerDude, then that it is!
Thanks for posting, I love reading what’s going on with you!
The nice grandma House // January 30, 2008 at 5:30 am
Hi Brock, just got my new 2nd hand computer installed and could read your blog. Utrecht was the town, where your bio-grandpa Guido was born, So you saw that part of the country also. By now you should have heard from Ilse. Let me know what the plans are there.
This is funny, you are in a school for artist and don’t know you are one. I think you probably have lots of artistic capabilities, just don’t know it yet. That is what school is for to develop this in you. Rain, rain, rain, you better get used to that. In the spring the flowers will be beautifull. Love you, Love Grandma House.