After a successful participation in the performance festival Art In Odd Places 2014, social artists Doménique Himmelsbach de Vries and Marieke Warmelink are invited to restage the duo-performance One Hour of Free Help at Union Square during the 11th edition of AIOP RECALL in October 2015.

                 

With One Hour of Free Help we aim to raise the social reputation of the Netherlands. The Netherlands used to be known as a safe haven for individuals who think differently. However, the past years the country has been dominated by a growing fear of dissidents,which has resulted in a fertile ground for negativity. We want to discuss and reflect on this current fear based political realm and instead, encourage people to act with curiosity and openness to the other. We take on the role of an embassy, the Embassy of Goodwill. As servant of ‘the people’, in spite of race, nationality and origin, we symbolically reclaim and re-use populism in a fertile and social way.

 

The Embassy of Goodwill  aims to work in a number of large cities that we value in the world. From every big city, we consider New York as one of the best starting points to do so. Not only because the ties between New York and Amsterdam go far back, but also because of the nature of the city. New York is an inspiring melting pot of different cultures, a vibrant city full of energy and creativity, and the perfect space to develop, share and experiment new and daring ideas.

 

Program

October 7-11        One hour of free help ‘The Monument’

                             Installation Union Square         

           
                             One hour of free help ‘The act of Hanging’

                             Performance Union Square 

October 8              Lecture One hour Free Help

                              Pace University Art Department  

                              Live art performance group

                              Invited by professor Jillian Mc Donald and Will Pappenheim

October 11            One hour of free help ‘Free Help Competition”    

                              Freeform Discussion with public, curators and artists                                                    Jackson Square at East 13th Street and 8th Avenue 

 

October 14           Opening Reception & Performance

                             Lodge Gallery, Chrystie's street, New york

October 14-28      Exhibition Lodge Gallery, New York

 

October 19           Presentation Columbia University

                             Invited by Wijnie de Groot, senior Lecturer Germanic studies.

 

 

 

watch the trailer