Come Back to Your ___ (Nature/ Culture)
Treehouse NDSM is thrilled to announce the open call for our next exhibition, Come Back to Your ___ (Nature/ Culture) which will take place from 17 September until 11 October 2026. The deadline for the open call is 28 June 2026.
In the context of current ecological crises, the need to rethink our relationship with the environment feels more urgent than ever. Yet the relationship between humans and nature has never been one of simple separation. Throughout history, agriculture has been closely linked to belief systems.
Archaeological findings like fertility figurines suggest that some of the earliest human beliefs were tied to the promise of a good harvest. These belief systems functioned as cultural frameworks through which land and nature were cared for and preserved. Over time, humans not only protected nature but actively shaped it, cultivating vineyards, designing parks and even embedding nature into their language, symbolism and social rituals.
Different societies around the world, and their approaches to nature, shape the land: while traditional Japanese gardens seek to emulate natural forms and landscapes influenced by Buddhism and Shinto, gardens in many post-Soviet states are often characterized by geometric order and symmetry. At the same time the reverse is also true, environments can profoundly influence the development of societies. In the Netherlands, the need to manage water led to the construction of dikes and polders, while Indigenous Australians used cultural burning practices that helped maintain open woodlands and grasslands and supported biodiversity.
These examples illustrate how culture and nature are in constant interaction, continuously shaping and redefining one another through a dynamic process of mutual influence. This relationship forms the starting point for the exhibition. We invite artists to reflect on questions such as: how do nature and culture share the same ground? And how did your community shape the land?
The exhibition is part of Art Park, an exhibition series launched at Treehouse in 2023 that reflects on urban nature, particularly in the urban surrounding of Amsterdam-Noord. Each year, we explore a different aspect of urban nature and investigate relevant ways of coexisting with the nature around us.
We welcome projects that do not offer answers, but dig and melt into questions and leave room for uncertainty. Submissions may span various media, including performance, painting, making, installation, and video.
Submission deadline: 28 June 2026
Exhibition Dates: 17 September - 11 October 2026
Participate in the open call via form.
Selection and Participation:
The selection committee, artist Alina Bielun and the artistic coordinator Mulan Go will select up to ten artworks to be presented in the space. However, this should not limit your proposal, as we are always open to incorporating temporary or performative works when they meaningfully complement the exhibition.
The artworks will be presented on the 100 m² mezzanine of Treehouse NDSM’s Pavilion. The selection committee will consider both the relevance to the theme and the chosen medium, with a particular interest in the voices of artists from Amsterdam Noord. An artist fee will be provided to all participants in the exhibition.
Certainly within an incubator like Treehouse, cross-pollination between different disciplines is at the core of its existence. Please keep in mind that Treehouse NDSM is not a traditional gallery space. Treehouse NDSM supports multi-disciplinary artists in bringing their projects to life by offering 100 individual and affordable studios for rent, as well as access to exhibition spaces and the opportunity of participating in a vibrant and collaborative artistic community.