Treehouse NDSM is thrilled to announce the open call for our next exhibition, Art Park III / INTO THE WATER, which will take place from the 18th of September until the the 12th of October 2025. The deadline for the open call is 22nd of June.

Apply here

In an area like Amsterdam-Noord, close to the river IJ and confronted with a rising sea level, the relationship between humans and nature is most visible: people here have long used canals and rivers as part of their daily lives and infrastructure.

‍

Long term domination of the shoreline, channeling and damming water for industry and transport have shaped the landscape. But today, we are confronted with new challenges: rising tides and shifting conditions that remind us of our limitations. Our environment is no longer as predictable as we once believed.

Perhaps the rising sea level rightly reminds us that we must make space. That we do not stand above the natural order, as presented in the scala naturæ, but are part of it. Rather than viewing water merely as a resource, let's shift perspective so that water can be seen as nature: a space for reflection and contemplation, far from the rush of daily life. Or a reference that, if we observe it carefully, can inspire and teach us to redefine our relationship with water.

‍

In the exhibition Art Park III / INTO THE WATER at Treehouse NDSM, artists explore what it means to live and work in a city surrounded by water. At its core, the exhibition poses the question: how will rising water shape the future of neighborhoods such as Amsterdam-Noord and its residents? Will we find resilience and creativity in transformation, or will we resist change, holding on to familiar ways that no longer serve us?

‍

The exhibition brings together a variety of works that reflect on our evolving relationship with water and how it influences our shared future. These include performances, paintings, installations, and video works.

‍

SELECTION OF ARTISTS
‍The selection committee, led by Treehouse NDSM director and this exhibition's curator Esther Kin, will choose up to 10 artworks that bring unique interpretations to the theme. The artworks will be exhibited on the 100m2 mezzanine of Treehouse NDSM's Pavilion. The curators will consider the relevance to the theme and the medium used, and will be especially interested in giving a voice to artists from Amsterdam Noord. An artistic fee will be given to each artist participating in the exhibition.

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. It is an artistic incubator where artists and audiences use their imagination to create their vision of the world.

‍