citylikeyou — Art In The Underground Stations — Amsterdam by Martijn Sandberg

Amsterdam / Place

Under the city, the extraordinary Gesamtkunstwerk by Louis van Gasteren, Jan Sierhuis and others is located in Nieuwmarkt underground. This is one of the public artworks of the Seventies and early Eighties endangered due to station renovation on the Underground Eastline. At present there is a notice hanging at different spots on the wall: ‘‘This artwork has been temporally removed due to renovations”.

Address
Art In The Underground Stations, Zuiderkerkhof, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Visual Artist

Current city: Amsterdam

msandberg.nl

The work of Amsterdam based visual artist Martijn Sandberg, constantly explores border areas, such as the tension between text and image, legibility and illegibility, the private and the public domain. “I make Image Messages, image is message is image.” The image hides the message. In the cut paintings „Sorry No Image Yet‟ and „Too Busy To Paint‟ there is a subtle play between the language of the image and the significance of the image, and this gives rise to questions. Here, the lack of image seems to be elevated to an image by the artist. The direct relationship between the image, the material bearing the image and the environment is also expressed in his site-specific works in public space and architecture. As in „If These Walls Could Speak‟ that can be viewed in the lifts at the OBA Public Library Amsterdam, and the artwork „I Will Survive’ located at the border of a burial ground in Hardenberg, The Netherlands. In 2010 „My Last Penny‟ by Martijn Sandberg is released as jaarpenning/ art medal 2010, issued by the Vereniging voor Penningkunst/ Dutch Art Medal Society in a multiple edition of 450 pieces.

More Places in Amsterdam 100

Amsterdam / Transport

    Almost every underground station in Amsterdam has a fascinating story behind it. My favourite one is metro station ‘Weesperplein,’ because it has a hidden station underneath the actual station that was meant for the 'Singellijn.' However, that line was never build and the second station remained useless. Besides that the hidden station was also equipped to serve as a shelter during the cold war. The large doors that were meant to hermetically close the building are still visible at both ends of the platform. Other small details, like the panels in the ceiling than can be used as tables when turned around, are also silent references to the building’s former use.  

Amsterdam / Gallery

OT301 is a cultural centre in the former building of the Film Academy at the Overtoom. It’s a good place to get drunk, watch a movie or to eat. It's not too expensive, like most other places in Amsterdam, and the ambience is good.  

Amsterdam / River

The Amstel river is the main river of Amsterdam. Around 1200 they build a dam in the river and that was the birth of Amsterdam (or Amstelredamme as it was called back then). This dam is now situated under the Dam square, the central square of the city. If you bike from the old city center to the south along the banks of the Amstel, as I do every day on my way to my studio, the city opens up and gives way to a lot of space. If you follow the river it will take you out of town more quickly then you'd expect since it is surrounded by a green corridor that get's larger and greener as you exit the city. In less then half an hour bike trip from the old city you can find yourself in juicy green pastures between grazing cows and sheep. Only the airplanes heading in and out of Schiphol Airport will remind you that the city is near.

Amsterdam / Park

It is in the city centre. This former navy area is now partly open for the public. In summer you can swim in the canal there and have a great view on old Amsterdam, the Scheepvaartmuseum and the dead heart centre of Amsterdam. I like it most in winter, silent, grey, a place to mesmorize, walk alone around, meet a local who is walking his dog, than and have a coffee in pension Homeland, the restaurant hotel there. In central Amsterdam the space is rare, and what is there is overrun with tourists and full of local traffic, the trams, a million bikes, cars and pedestrians. That is why I like this place so much, super quiet space in the centre of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam / Bar

Probably the cosiest place in town! Warm 'Berlin style' wallpapered living room build around a half circle bar. They host poetry, bingo & acoustic evenings in the front room, and great film, concerts and dress up parties in the hidden mezzanine back room.