From the Sidelines

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From the Sidelines
Langs de LijnLocation: Playing field ‘De Toekomst’ (‘The Future’), Gorichem Participants: 190 Visitors: 2,000 Number of events: 21 Additional Presentations: Dutch Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice (17.06.2003 – 24.09.2003); Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (03.2004 – 05.2004) The cultural project Langs de Lijn van de Toekomst (The Future from the Sidelines) took place in the Dutch town of Gorinchem between February and June 2003 as part of the art project ‘Kleurrijke Wijken 2002 - 2004’ (‘Colourful Neighbourhoods’). With The Future from the Sidelines, Van Heeswijk made an inventory of live-and-kicking notions of competition, rules of play, codes of honour, professionalism and – lastly – competence within different (sub-) cultures in the multicultural society of Gorinchem. Around the globe, the ‘battle’ proves to be a wonderful driving force, not only for sport and play but also for art and culture. Individuals and groups have an inexhaustible desire to show others what they are good at, possibly to surpass others, and if their level falls short of that of others, to zealously prepare for a new confrontation, time and again. According to Guy Debord this is where the essence of cultural progress lies: culture as people’s desire to present themselves to each other and then to others. The central location of the project was formed by a former playing field named ‘De Toekomst‘ (which means ‘the future’). The characteristic changing rooms next to the field were reconstructed into a broadcasting studio and workshop space. Residents and visitors could come over Monday through Saturday with their questions, remarks, stories about and memories of playing. Each Monday evening, the programme ‘The Future from the sidelines’ by Jo van der Spek was broadcast from the building, on the role of sport and games within contemporary cultures, with stories from the neighbourhood and reports from experts. From these programs a whole series of new games was developed that are characteristic for contemporary Gorinchem. In cooperation with ‘Gorinchem Beweegt’, a series of workshops and game activities was organised in April and May to test and develop these games in preparation for a tournament. With the Turkish and Moroccan communities, an event was organised to celebrate International Children’s Day on 23 April. In this way, various participants participated in the development of the games. On 31 May and 1 June, the tournament ‘Langs de Lijn van De Toekomst’ was held. Strength, knowledge, vision and culture were tested by playing ‘3-Sided Football’, ‘BMX Buzkashi’, ‘Breakelen’ (‘Break Hop’), ‘Draw a Line’, ‘Battle for the Bridge’, ‘Elastic Wrestling’ and ‘Boating besides the Water’. Parallel to these activities the documentary From the Sidelines was filmed by, Klaas van Gorkum, Iratxe Jaio, Sonya Schonberger, giving insight into the daily routine of the Gorinchem club life. This documentary and the video Show Us Your Moves, on the battling during the game of ‘Breakelen’, were shown at the 2003 Venice Biennale along with Draw a Line as part of the presentation ‘We Are the World‘ in the Dutch pavilion. 2003, Gorinchem

http://www.langsdelijn.net/

projects
De Strip/ Freehouse/ From the Sidelines/ Room with a view (Dissonance)/ Room with a view (Positioning)/ Room with a view (Real Stories from Life)/ Outside Livingroom/ I + the Other. Art and the Human Condition/ Until we meet again/ A House for the Community/ NEsTWORK/ State of Mind/ Break. Dance./ The Secret City/ The world is bigger than Schijndel/ Hotel New York P.S.1/ Valley Vibes. The Vibe-Detector/ Water walker/ Welcome Package Welcome Stranger/ A Christmas Pudding for Henry/ Under the Spell of the Ring/ Subway to the Outside/ Wish for a Coffee/ Acte de Présence - Sans Valeur/ Draw a line/ Raising a Ruckus/ Casco-Mobile/ Z.T. (Duurzame Versterkingskunst)/ A Paper House/ Face Your World/ Beyond ethics & aesthetics/ Room with a view/ Room with a view (Private)/ Room with a view (Annex)/ Room with a view (Longing)/ Room with a view (The Neighbour)/ The Office/ Casco, Coffee and Communication/ In the Field of Players/ The Dinner/ The Blue House/ Face Your World, StedelijkLab Slotervaart/ Dwaallicht (Will o the whisp)/ Works, Typologies and Capacities/ Some 7/ Ariadne/ Narratives of Desire/ An Sich/ Brain Storm/ Amnesia of a Landscape/ Care-Taker/ Fields of (inter)action/ Shelter-07/ Face Your World, Museumpark/ You and the City. Diaries of a Future Avant-garde/ Shanghai Dreaming, Holding an Urban Gold Card/ It runs in the Neighbourhood/ Talking Trash/ Buiten Post/ The Resistance of Small Happiness/ Public Faculty No. 1/

essays
Networks, faces, membranes/ Creative Urge, annex a Zeal for Improvement/ A House for the Community/ Principles of Hope/ Germinal/ Freehouse/ Conquest/ The Miracle of Gorinchem/ In The Field of Players/ The Artist as Versatile Infiltrator of Public Space/ Noem mij maar gewoon een portretschilder/

general
Jeanneworks/ Contact/ CV Jeanne van Heeswijk/

news
Exhibition 'Reality 10'55 Odense'/ 'Some 7' at exhibition in RAM/ New website Jeanne van Heeswijk online/ Lecture at the NAi, Rotterdam/ Design Staalmanpark receives green light/ Kunst RAI 2006: 'Games People Play, Chapter 1'/ Exhibtion: 'Play! The Art of the Game' / 'Narratives of Desire. Realities Odense' in Arnhem/ 'Cascomobile' at the Busan Biennale/ Project presentation 'Care-taker'/ Visiting Scholar at Hunter College NY/ KONTROL #1 is online now/ Lecture at the MCA in Sydney/ 'FYW' nominated for Citizen Participation Prize/ Exhibition 'Room with a View' at Axel Lapp Projects/ Lecture at Architectural Association in London/ Evasions of Power, Sesion 4: 'Interventions'/ Symposium DEAF07: 'Interact or Die!'/ 5 projects at the Architecture Biennale Rotterdam/ 'Socially Yours', Seminar Hong Kong/ Kunsthal: Presentation 'FYW Museum Park'/ Presentation 'Systems' and 'Works, 1993-2007'/ 'Ariadne' moves to Sint-Oedenrode/ 'Memory Knight' at Art Rotterdam 2008/ International presentation ´Systems´/ 'The Urban Game Show' at the NAI/ Premiere 'It runs in the Neighbourhood'/ 'Narratives of Desire' at Axel Lapp Projects/ Breakfast lecture at the Design Publico Week / Fields of (inter)action at Venice Biennale/ New work coming up at 2008 Shanghai Biennale/ The Market of Tomorrow/ Women beyond the Verge/ Public Faculty no.1/ RAM opens 2010 with Citizens' Tales/ Nominated for Award for Participatory Art/ Talking Trash 13 April - 29 May/ Publications Jeanne van Heeswijk for sale/