The Oude Kerk is looking for clothing with a story to it

The Oude Kerk is currently preparing the exhibition Kimsooja: To Breathe - Mokum, a large-scale art installation by the South Korean artist Kimsooja, one of the most prominent artists of our time.

Kimsooja is creating a new series of Bottari, her most characteristic textile work, especially for the Oude Kerk. Traditionally in Korea, precious items of clothing and important possessions were collected in a large cloth in the form of a fabric bundle. The Bottari bundle was often given away on the occasion of a long journey or major relocation.

For this exhibition, Kimsooja wants to create fabric bundles that capture the character of Amsterdam as a place of arrival and departure. The 750-year-old port city has been characterised by a lively migration history for centuries. We are therefore looking for worn clothing from all kinds of different cultures and people that the city of Amsterdam is rich in. Kimsooja will incorporate these items of clothing into her Bottari.

Would you like to make your personal story part of a large-scale art project? We invite you to bring your worn garments to the Oude Kerk until the end of April. They do not have to be whole. As a thank you, we would like to offer you free admission to Kimsooja’s exhibition on migration, transition and identity. The clothing will remain part of the Bottari artwork afterwards.

What can be included in a Bottari?

• T-shirts, sweaters, trousers (preferably cotton/organic material)
• Bedcovers, towels, curtains, traditional cloths or rugs (no net curtains or carpets)

You can drop off clothing donations Monday to Thursday, between 1:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon.