Studio ArtOffice | On that bike: how do Shimmer, Varia and Paviljoen aan het Water work?

In cooperation with Ewald X Ross Studio Art Office initiates a series of meetings for Rotterdam artists: Op die fiets. Together we bring inspiring visits to art initiatives throughout the city. As an artist you get to know the initiatives better (what is their background and character) and you hear about the possibilities they offer for individual professional practice. The initiatives, in turn, may ask visitors for advice and who knows, great new collaborations may arise. Each (bicycle) tour visits 3 initiatives, lasts approximately 3 hours and ends with a drink at one of the locations. We kick off with an edition on Wednesday 19 July in which we visit three exciting initiatives in South Rotterdam: Varia, Shimmer and Paviljoen aan het Water.

Varia is a collective workshop for artists, focused on reflection and with a critical view on everyday media and technology. Varia was founded in 2017 and is supported by members who help each other with advice and deed in the development of their art. On Fridays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Varia is a meeting place to drink tea, repair something or ask questions to others. Varia is also a presentation place where voice-based events take place in a loose series. One of the members, Yoana Buzova, talks to us.

We continue our route to Shimmer, located in a former RET building on the edge of the harbour. Shimmer was founded by curator Eloise Sweetman and artist Jason Hendrik Hansma, and functions as a presentation space cum reading room where a text is read and discussed together every 2 months on Sunday. Shimmer also operates as an online platform with podcasts as well as links to exhibitions, artists or texts/authors they feel connected to. We speak here with one of the founders.

The afternoon ends with a visit to Paviljoen aan het Water, founded as a meeting place for artists and residents of the adjacent neighborhood, as well as for various creative disciplines such as art, music, food and literature. In addition, Paviljoen aan het Water functions as a residency place and works by former residents are shown from 12-16 July. On July 19, there will be some more works to discuss. In addition, initiator Kamiel Verschuren will explain the concept, the programming and the necessary cooperation with others to us. Here we also end the afternoon with a drink.

Practical Information
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Time: gather at 14:45 pm, start at 15.00:XNUMX pm
Start location: Varia, Gouwstraat 3, Rotterdam
Transport: with your own bicycle. It is also possible to walk (8 min from Varia to Shimmer, and 15 min from Shimmer to Paviljoen aan het Water). Unfortunately, there is no convenient bus option available for traveling this route.
Sign Up: participation is exclusively for artists registered with Art Office. Due to a limited number of places, please register in advance via artoffice@cbkrotterdam.nl