ICONS 2002-2006 / Through a glass darkly
(Rotterdam NL: Nederlands Triptiek (Dutch tryptich) at OAC, 2006)

Memorial executed in an empty shop in southern Rotterdam. Originally, the installation Icons 2002-2006 was supposed to be shown in public space, but after the local safety coordinator had given a negative advice on its public exhibition, the municipality decided to intervene. This intervention was related to several of the images that were to be shown during the exhibition Nederlands Triptiek (Dutch tryptich), which included Icons 2002-2006. Concerning the latter work, the images at issue were the so-called “Danish cartoons,” which featured drawings that allegedly portrayed the prophet Mohammed. The fact that the work was to be shown in a neighborhood with a large Muslim immigrant population that could possibly be offended by the work, caused the municipality to intervene. Thereupon, the artists involved in the exhibition suggested that the municipal authorities would take a decision on which elements in the work had to be censored, if they would be prepared to daily and publicly discuss this decision with artists. In case of Icons 2002-2006, this led to the removal of all images from the picture frames, and their replacement with black glossy photo prints. Owing to the increasing media attention for this cooperation between the artists and the municipal authorities, the latter’s representatives decided to abandon the daily debates. Thereupon, the artists informed each individual visitor about the creative process underlying the work.

Photos by Maarten Steenhagen

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