Rotterdam with Anne van der Zwaag of OBJECT Design Fair
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Object, a design fair held in the industrial HAKA building in Rotterdam, attracts collectors, professionals and “other designminded people.” Running February 8-10 this year, this platform for limitededitions and new projects stems from a by-invitation selRotterdam with Anne van der Zwaag of OBJECT Design Fair
Object, a design fair held in the industrial HAKA building in Rotterdam, attracts collectors, professionals and “other designminded people.” Running February 8-10 this year, this platform for limitededitions and new projects stems from a by-invitation selection of designers, both established and emerging, who work across different disciplines.The assortment of participants is eclectic: the artist Lizan Freijsen translates stains into ceramics, textiles, and hand-woven carpets; Fabrique Publique use social issues, such as pollution or women’s rights, to inspire cheeky designs from furniture to tableware. Post Modern orchestrates affordable postcard-sized artworks of bigger, pricier works to make Contemporary art accessible to a wider audience; Holyscrap’s handmade furniture repurposes remainders from custom projects into new pieces. The fair is interwoven with other events from Art Rotterdam Week, February 6-10, and Haute Photographie, running February 8th-10th.BlouinShop spoke with Anne van der Zwaag, the Director of OBJECT, about her favorite Rotterdam galleries, the forthcoming auction she’s excited about, and what touristy things are actually kind of fun to indulge in.How long have you been living in Rotterdam?I have been working in Rotterdam for almost 10 years now.How has the local design scene evolved in the past decade?The creative scene has grown enormously. Artists and designers, such as Joep van Lieshout and Richard Hutten, opened their studios and ateliers on the outskirts of the city a long time ago, but they were really pioneering. Now Rotterdam is THE place to be for designers, architects and artists.Many well-known Dutch names in the international scene have chosen Rotterdam as their base and a lot of young talents are setting up shop here, right after they graduate. The city really supports this and there are still quite some areas where you can find interesting and not-too-expensive work spaces.How does the local scene dialogue with the global scene?In the past years, Rotterdam has evolved into this very dynamic and attractive metropole with an enormous international reputation. That is due to the creative scene but also the many architectural highlights and interesting exhibitions, the rich food culture that developed as well as the open and multicultural climate. A lot of professionals and tourists choose Rotterdam over Amsterdam, and I understand why!Who is a favorite local Rotterdam designer you think more people should know?Well that is pretty hard; there are so many! To discover young talents, pay a visit to the Keilewerf 2, a former harbor area where a lot of young designers have settled and open up their studios.There’s Lotte Douwes, Simone Post, Iwan Pol, and David van der Stel, to name just a few.What are your “must-see, can’t-leave-withoutchecking- out” recommendations for the city?I love Katendrecht, the Fenixloodsen and the Deliplein. Here you can find some very good restaurants, a local market, second-hand shops and nice cafes. Take the walking bridge to the other side of the water, have lunch at Hotel New York and visit the Dutch Photography Museum. This area is full of energy and will be more and more developed in the upcoming years: The Foundation Dream&Do is transforming an old warehouse over here into a kind of Dutch sister-site to Ellis Island.What is the most overrated thing people advise visitors to check out when they’re in town?That might be the Markthal. Don’t get me wrong: it is an extremely interesting building and I love the big artwork integrated into it, but it has commercialized quite a bit. If you want to discover the real Rotterdam, you have to dig deeper and go outside the city center. What I do advise is to visit the Euromast (because it has a stunning view), and take the watertaxi (at least one time, since it is such a fun experience), and go have a drink at the historical cruiseship SS Rotterdam. It all sounds tourist-y, but is worth your while.What would be on your agenda if you had a free morning or afternoon in Rotterdam?Rotterdam has many interesting museums, such as De Kunsthal, which I visit during the vernissage of a new show. I hardly have a free morning or afternoon so if I do I’d take the time to check out some local design and art galleries such as VIVID, Frank Taal, Cokkie Snoei, Wilfried Lentz — some of my favorites.What’s the best place for a morning coffee or tea?Hopper is a perfect place to go in the morning. It is conveniently located in the lively Witte de Withstraat and serves yummy bread and very good coffee.What restaurants would you recommend, and what makes them unique?Ayla is high up my list. They make amazing Mediterranean food, the atmosphere is relaxed and the staff is great. A new gem in town is Louise, a little French restaurant located in the Veerhaven, one of the more historic parts of town. It is like a Paris bistro, intimate with fine wine and quality food.Where would you head for the best shopping?Well, I am absolutely a fashion victim. One great store is owned by Margreeth Olsthoorn: she has the best collection of contemporary fashion designers for women and men. The style is very ‘now’ and a bit edgy. Margreeth is also a fashion curator and stylist: she really takes the time to help you choose your style, without being pushy. Mostert van Leeuwen is located in the city center and a bit more classical. But they offer a nice selection of the best fashion labels. Visit Joline Jolink: she designs all the very stylish but comfortable items in her store herself.What’s an authentic item you could only buy locally or regionally?Stookolie, a black drink created by a group of Rotterdam-based artists. Quite heavy but with a very good strong taste, since it contains a touch of black pepper. Best to mix it with some tonic since it is 45 %! The drink comes in a nice bottle with a recipe and you can also buy little glasses that go with it!What are the ideal spots to see live music in town?Bird is a jazz and nightclub right underneath the Hofbogen and close to the central station; you can chill out to jazzy tunes, but also enjoy good soul, funk, hip-hop and electronic tunes as well. For some real disco dancing, head just around to corner to the club Annabel.Where would you recommend people stay when they visit?The Nhow hotel has stunning views over the city and the famous Erasmus Bridge. Especially the rooms higher up in the building offer an amazing experience at night. Much more intimate and smaller is Hotel Stroom, in the Lloyd area. Last but not least, the old restored cabins at the SS Rotterdam — I am a sucker for romance, and they really recall the olden days.Do you have a favorite book or author who writes about the city or region in an especially evocative way?Yes, I love and collect the travel books of Pauline Egge, alias Petite Passport: she writes about all the interesting cities she visits and really knows the best spots in her hometown. Then there is Patrick Kooiman, the Interiorator. He’s a very colorful design blogger that roams the country as well as Rotown. My favorite novelist is absolutely Ernest van der Kwast; he also has a talk show on Worm, which is always interesting and absolutely recommended.What are you most looking forward to about this edition of OBJECT?Over the past years, the fair has developed rapidly as a must-see for creative professionals and design lovers, expanding in participants as well as square meters. A well-balanced and curated combination of familiar names with young talents across design disciplines offers an inspiring experience. OBJECT is known as a stepping stone for upcoming designers and the place to spot new talent. I selected over 40 to join us! Our location this year is a former trade building — a fine example of Modernist architecture, designed in the ’30s by the Dutch architects Mertens and Koeman. The HAKA is owned by Dudok Groep and will soon be transformed into a dynamic workplace with an attractive restaurant, so I would definitively keep an eye on this future hotspot in town. In the meantime, we will keep our eyes open for a new and dazzling location.Is there anything you’re doing differently in 2019 relative to the previous editions?Every edition we add new elements to the fair. This year we are organizing a special design auction. Architect and designer Rolf Bruggink is renovating small schools in isolated villages in Senegal. With a group of friends, they put in their own time and money to hire local craftsmen and buy local materials as well as school supplies. Several of our friends have been so kind and generous to support the cause and donate design items for our auction. Every penny of it will be invested in the school itself and that’s exactly what I like so much about it.More information: www.objectrotterdam.comhttps://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more