Art Rotterdam celebrates its 26th edition at new location, Rotterdam Ahoy.
Art Fairs, to me, are a bit like children’s parties. They start off full of excitement and expectation and slowly become a bit wearisome and often end in tears. I really love the anticipation of going to art fairs hoping/expecting to discover something new and stimulating, but after a couple of hours one finds oneself passing the same stand over and over again and thinking more about the state of your feet than the art.
Art Rotterdam has the advantage of being just the right size, big enough to have a wide variety of galleries yet small enough to be undemanding on the stamina. This 26th Rotterdam fair is the first in its new venue – the huge Ahoy complex in the south of the city. In its previous home, the old Van Nelle factory, the fair was spread out over several rooms with long corridors with some sculptures outside on the grass next to the Rhine-Schie canal. The Ahoy exhibition hall has everything under one roof and is clean, airy and bright – although it lacks the old industrial atmosphere of the Van Nelle site. I got the impression that most of the galleries prefer the new venue.
This year’s fair seems a bit bigger and more international than in previous years and Fons Hof, Director Art Rotterdam said, “The first edition at the new location Rotterdam Ahoy will be a special experience for international collectors, art professionals, and art enthusiasts. The fair will feature a grid of galleries interspersed with large curated spaces for video, sculpture, installations and performance. Here galleries can showcase their most daring and outspoken artists. In addition, Prospects, the Mondriaan Fonds exhibition for emerging talent, returns in an extra-large format. This combination creates a rich, diverse and inspiring visitor experience, ensuring that Art Rotterdam remains future-proof.”
There was, of course, some really interesting work on display but, for me the most compelling were the sculptures, many of which were concentrated in the so-called Sculpture Park at one end of the hall.
Fascinating though the commercial side of the fair is, I always prefer Prospects, the part of the fair dedicated to new young artists who have received awards from Mondrian Fonds. In the old Van Nelle venue this area was hidden well away from the main fair and was easy to miss. Now it has its own area in the main hall, taking up almost a quarter of the space.
Although the fair can be tiring there are plenty of opportunities to take the weight off your feet with a couple of cafes and some street food trucks in evidence. The Ahoy is easier to get to, certainly by public transport with the Zuidplein Metro station just across the road, than the Van Nelle, so why not pop down there. You can be sure there will be something to pique your interest and maybe even dip into your wallet. Michael Hasted 28th March 2025
Photo by Michael Hasted
ART ROTTERDAM continues at AHOY until 30th March
