The blinded tourists, four artists lived with me, in the middle of the rear space of W139, in a handmade settlement. A village; of five paper huts, big round table / stage, ceramic tableware, embroiderd tablecloth / bed sheets and a gate. None of guests had been to Amsterdam before and were selected from the 59 respondents on an international open call. They arrived on the same day from China, Brazil, USA and Italy. The guests were picked up from the airport, transported blindfolded to the Warmoesstraat and didn’t leave the installation during the full eight days of BLINDED TOURIST. They learned about Amsterdam by conversation with me and invited experts from the world of science and art: Travel Program (see below). The blinded tourists could be observed and/or visited during the opening hours of W139, the audience mingled with what was going on. The last weekend the four gave a presentation of their findings. One of the four finally disappeared on the last day, transformed into an ordinary tourist, and thus unexpectedly placed the concept into focus. A precarious moment whereby the intentions with which the residents and I had entered the project were undermined, yet at the same time confirmed and intensified.

TRAVEL PROGRAM
The different days of the Travel Program were devoted to different aspects of the city of Amsterdam: its history, inhabitants, biology and urban planning and art. I invited several guests to come and talk about four main topics: HISTORY, PEOPLE, ART and NATURE. The program consisted of two parts: a day program and an evening program. During the day program we were in contact with five reporters, our ears and eyes of the outside world. The reporters were on hand to help the residents and carried out the research tasks they had been given. The second part was an evening program, a series of small scale and personal meetings with different experts. The evening program was only limited open for visitors.

HISTORY > Lecture by Gabri Tussenbroek, historian, expert on Amsterdam, writer of the book ‘Amsterdam in 1597’. Lecture by Leon Deben (sociologist) about people living and working in and around the Amsterdam Warmoesstraat.

PEOPLE > An evening with guests who work and live around W139. Thanks to: Stock Exchange Amsterdam, Prostitution Information Centre, ‘de Bakkerswinkel’, ‘de Condomerie’ and the Old Church.

NATURE > Lecture by Remco Daalder, urban ecologist of Amsterdam and writer of the book ‘Urban Animals’. Lecture by Grieta Spannenburg, meteorologist and co-writer of the book ‘Dutch cloudy skies’

ART > Lecture by Ad de Jong (artist and founder of W139) about the creative and chaotic times in begin period of W139. Gijs Frieling (artist and director of W139) about his work as the director of W139. Frank Koolen (artist), Els van de Meersch (artist) and Eric von Robertson (artist) finished the evening with a presentation of the work they exhibited in W139.

Supported by : W139, 'de Bakkerswinkel'.

Thanks to: Gijs Frieling, the people from W139, Gabri Tussenbroek, Leon Deben, Remco Daalder, Grieta Spannenburg, Ad de Jong, Els van de Meersch, Eric von Robertson, Frank Koolen, Eddy Reefhuis, Suze Westerveld, Michel Damman, Mariska Majoor, Duco Wildeboer, Maurice van Tilburg, Mirjam Oosterbaan, Elly Videler, reporters; Lisbel Gavara, Daniel Jacques, Dieuwertje Tromp, Vera West, Jorien Boerefijn and the artists who helped to build the installation.

Wallpaintings: project Doctor Faustus by Gijs Frieling

Reviews & newspaper:
Metropolis M / Kunstbeeld / Parool / Text Gijs Frieling