'I would like to create works that are like water and air, which we cannot possess but which can be shared with everyone.' Kimsooja
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Kimsooja is one of the most influential artists of our time. This spring, she transforms the sunlight in the Oude Kerk into a sea of rainbow colours. Spread across the church floor, she places her bottari – Korean wrapping cloths in which people carry their most cherished belongings on their journey. Migrant communities in Amsterdam donated clothing and textiles for these bottari. In this way, her exhibition celebrates the rich migration history of Amsterdam, a city that has been considered one of the most diverse cities in the world for centuries.
Textile collection campaign with a travel story
Especially for the Oude Kerk, Kimsooja is creating a new series of Bottari, a recurring motif in her work. Bottari are traditional Korean wrapping cloths used to carry belongings while travelling. For this exhibition, Kimsooja aims to create bottari that symbolise the city’s character as a place of arrival and departure. To do so, we are looking for worn clothing from a wide variety of cultures and communities that make up the rich tapestry of Amsterdam. These garments will be incorporated by Kimsooja into her Bottari. Read here more about the collection campaign here.
Rainbow light through gothic windows
Kimsooja covers the windows of the Oude Kerk with a filter film that breaks the sunlight into a spectrum of rainbow colours. This creates a dynamic interplay of light and colour on the walls and the church floor. In the context of Gothic architecture, where light holds spiritual significance, this installation invites visitors to reflect on themes such as identity, transition, and the connection between the earthly and the divine.
Harbour church in a migration city
Located in the old harbour district of Amsterdam, the area around the Oude Kerk was for centuries the place of departure and arrival. When Amsterdam became a global city in the seventeenth century, the neighbourhood around the church was already home to various migrant communities. Many of them signed their marriage certificates here. Sailcloth was dried in the church, and fishermen repaired their nets. Countless seafarers found their final resting place in the church, and the trading companies had their offices around the building. In the early 20th century, Chinatown developed in the area around the Oude Kerk, which is considered the oldest Chinese neighbourhood on the European mainland.
About Kimsooja
Kimsooja was born in South Korea in 1957 and lives in Seoul and Paris. She exhibits her work worldwide, and the Fenix Museum in Rotterdam recently acquired a key piece. She represented Korea at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013 and participated in the 48th, 49th, 51st, and 52nd editions of the international exhibition in Venice. Her work has been featured in numerous major biennales, including Gwangju (1995, 2000), Busan (2002, 2014), Sydney (1998), Istanbul (1997), and Lyon (2000). Her solo exhibitions include presentations at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid (2006), the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul (2016), and the Bourse de Commerce in Paris (2024).
