Update: PORTSCAPES, an artistic programme in the port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands

As announced on a previous post from 27 May, at the invitation of the Amsterdam-based agency SKOR and the Port Authority of Rotterdam, Latitudes is developing artists projects throughout the next year, coinciding with the beginning of the construction of 'Maasvlakte 2' (MV2), an entirely new area of land being reclaimed as a 2,000 hectare expansion to the already existing port of Rotterdam [51° 55' N 4° 29' E], the largest seaport in Europe.

Following site visits and meetings in May, July, September and last week, 13 Rotterdam-based and international artists have been invited to visit the area and to develop project proposals to take place throughout 2009.

PORTSCAPES will approach Europe’s largest port as a vast exhibition venue to be experienced through itineraries and destinations and will involve projects and events, lectures and workshops, screenings and temporary sculptures, etc. It will be introduced during Art Rotterdam (5–8 February 2009) by a ‘prologue’ publication designed by Ben Laloua / Didier Pascal, and a website. A cluster of projects will take place in April coinciding with the official presentation of MV2 and in September, coinciding with Wereldhavendagen (World Port Day on the 4, 5 and 6 September) and the Rotterdam Architecture Biennial (24 September 2009–10 January 2010).

PORTSCAPES is commissioned by the Port of Rotterdam Authority advised by SKOR (Foundation Art and Public Space) and is curated by Latitudes.

More on Maasvlakte 2: www.maasvlakte2.com
More on the Port of Rotterdam: www.portofrotterdam.com
More on SKOR: www.skor.nl

Maasvlakte 2 - Port of Rotterdam expansion

Last week Latitudes visited the port and industrial zone of Rotterdam (seen in the images). On the west of the existing port, construction is undergoing to build Maasvlakte 2, a new port area arising from the sea in front of the Maas estuary, which will be constructed between 2008 and 2013. The reclaimed land will add 20% of port area and triple the container capacity. Following such land reclamation or polder mega-projects such as the Flevopolder, Ijburg and Neeltje Jans, the second Maasvlakte will be the latest chapter of the Netherlands’ ongoing relationship between the sea and the land.

As stated in the Maasvlakte website: "The land reclamation will measure around 2,000 hectares in total. Half of this will consist of infrastructure, such as sea defences, fairways, railways, roads and port basins. The other 1,000 hectares will provide the space for industrial sites."

The Maasvlakte 2 project organisation of the Rotterdam Port Authority wants to involve artists in this 5 year development stage, and for that they have involved SKOR. The Port Authority and SKOR invited Latitudes to visit the area and to generate ideas for the forthcoming 5 year period, from planning to realisation of what will be one of the biggest trade zones in the world.