New Exhibition Space for de Appel: de Appel Boys' School

'New ideas need old buildings' - Jane Jacobs


De Appel is pleased to announce that, commencing in February 2010, it will be making use of a new exhibition space at the Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 59 (stop Stadhouderskade, tram 1, 4, 16 or 24)). This will mark the end of de Appel’s temporary ‘disembodiment’ in 2009 - a year in which the regular, additional programme of performances, projects, lectures, ‘informances’ and publications came to the fore in various locations in the city, with the Frascati and Stadsschouwburg theatres as institutional partners. This emphasis on text, (spoken) word and gesture will shift in 2010 back again to object and image with a series of exhibitions. De Appel’s intrinsic line and its ambition to remain progressive and ‘unusual’ on the basis of its long past history is thus being continued.

Having been housed on the Brouwersgracht, Prinseneiland and the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, de Appel has manifested itself in very different ways since 1975. Now, through this relocation, de Appel is cropping up again at an unexpected spot in Amsterdam. The building on the Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat was built at the end of the nineteenth century as a ‘3rd class’ public primary school for boys, in what was then the rapidly burgeoning district known as De Pijp on the edge of Amsterdam. After that it had different functions, from music library to a training school for midwives. Because of its historical character and its central location in a striking and lively ambiance, a stone’s throw from the Museumplein and de Ateliers, it offers de Appel an exquisite place for resuming its exhibition programme in full swing.*****

The exhibition space on the Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat, from now on named ‘de Appel-Boys' School’, will be used as de Appel's exhibition space during 2010 and 2011. At the end of 2011 de Appel will permanently 'settle' at 142 Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam, in a building traditionally known as the Zeemanshoop. Officially commissioned by the City of Amsterdam - the building on the Prins Hendrikkade is being renovated. Architectural offices were assigned in August 2009 and a selection was made in September last year. The winning office is the Nieuwe Generatie (www.denieuwegeneratie.nu) in collaboration with ADP (www.adp-architecten.nl), an excellent combination of enthusiasm and expertise. The definitive design and the building application was ready before the end of 2009.

For more information please contact Hiske Zomer via 003120 625 5651 or Hzomer [​at​] deappel.nl.