Operation Raw Shield

For art has no exit strategy

The Raw Art Fair in Rotterdam is the most secure art fair in the Netherlands on 6 February 2014.

Operation Raw Shield is a project by visual artist Niek Verschoor about the value and importance of art and culture for a society. It is a military exercise in defending art and culture in times of conflict situations and crisis.

During the special operation Operation Raw Shield of the Marine Corps in collaboration with visual artist Niek Verschoor, the art fair and the surrounding area is a highly protected area.
Armed soldiers carry out patrols both inside and outside to ensure the safety of visitors and gallery owners. Art and culture are extremely vulnerable in conflicts of violence. Museums are often broken open and
cleared out to sell the art treasures. World heritage is being destroyed or used for strategic purposes. The museums of for example Kabul, Baghdad and Cairo were badly damaged and looted during the wars.
To make this vulnerability visible to a large audience, Operation Raw Shield focuses on the defense of art during the RAW Art Fair.
An important part of the exercise is a public lecture by René Teijgeler, cultural heritage expert and working for UNESCO in crisis areas such as Iraq, Egypt, Afghanistan, Libya and recently in Syria.