ROTTERDAM.- The twenty-second edition of Art Rotterdam, once again to be held in the iconic Van Nelle Factory, is taking place at the height of summer from Thursday 1 July to Sunday 4 July. This year, there will be lots to experience and discover outdoors around the building. Apart from large-scale works of art and installations, many of which have been created especially for the occasion, there will also be several food trucks with drinks & bites on the factory grounds. With a surface area of over 10,000 m2, the inside of the factory has room for more than 100 galleries to exhibit the work of up-and-coming and established talents alike. Director of Art Rotterdam Fons Hof comments, "We are very much looking forward to welcoming participants and visitors to this unique summer edition of Art Rotterdam. The catalogue is being presented on GalleryViewer.com, Art Rotterdam's online platform, where visitors can learn more about the works of art, including the price range, before the event."

Outdoor artworks

Art Rotterdam 2021 is taking full advantage of the summer season, with leading galleries and project spaces presenting a record number of impressive outdoor works of art on the factory grounds. Trendbeheer will be welcoming visitors with a site-specific work of wall art by Marcha van den Hurk: waving flags will be hanging from the windows of the Van Nelle Factory adorned with texts from inmates from the penitentiary De Schie on the other side of the water. The texts include quotes, slogans, wishes and messages to loved ones. When the wind dies down, the texts on the canvas can be easily read. When the wind blows, the flags wave back as it were at the penitentiary across the waterway. The wind creates an awe-inspiring and dramatic sight. Other outside works on display: Frank Taal Galerie will be exhibiting work by Bram Braam, while Nest will be showing the art of Müge Yilmaz and Brook Andrew and Kersgallery will display work by David Bade. Roy Mandos will be contributing the work of Maarten Baas and Murals Inc. will be presenting a modern mural by Anan Striker. As part of Prospects, the Mondriaan Fund will be displaying the work of Lin Gerrits, Lliada Charalambous, Olle Stjerne, Rowan van Aas and Lucas Sloot on the outside grounds of the factory.

NN Art Award nominees

The NN Art Award, an incentive prize for talented artists who have completed an art programme in the Netherlands, is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2021. The jury of art experts for this fifth edition will comprise Imara Limon, curator of Amsterdam Museum, Reyn van der Lugt, collector, Suzanne Swarts, Director of Museum Voorlinden, Koen Taselaar, artist and nominee for the NN Art Award 2020, Elisah van den Bergh, curator of the NN Art Collection.

Last December, the jury announced the nominees for the NN Art Award 2021: Priscila Fernandes (Division of Labour, London), Lilian Kreutzberger (CINNNAMON, Rotterdam), Claudia Martinez Garay (GRIMM, Amsterdam) and Erik Mattijssen (Cokkie Snoei, Rotterdam). The work by the four nominees will be presented at the NN Art Award stand on the exhibition floor. The winner will receive an incentive prize in the amount of €10,000. The presentation of the award will take place on Wednesday 30 June. Past winners are the Quistrebert brothers (2017), Pauline Curnier Jardin (2018), Katja Mater (2019) and Ana Navas (2020).

For the first time in 2021: NN Art Public Award

On the final day of the event, Sunday 4 July, the NN Art Public Award will be presented. This marks the first year that visitors can cast a vote. The winner will receive a cash prize of €5,000. Votes can be cast for the NN Art Public Award via the NN Group website from mid-June.

Prospects - Mondriaan Fund shows talent

During Art Rotterdam, the Mondriaan Fund will be presenting the ninth edition of Prospects (previously called Prospects&Concepts), showcasing the work of artists who recently received funding to launch their professional career. A total of 75 artists will be taking part in the exhibition. Just as in 2020, the guest curator will be Johan Gustavsson, co-director of 1646, The Hague, board member of The Naked and Page Not Found and a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (KABK). To carry out the exhibition safely in these coronavirus times, Prospects will not only be exhibited in the former Distribution Centre building this year, but also in the Schiehal across from the entrance to Art Rotterdam and on the outside grounds of the Van Nelle Factory. Design agency Tom Postma Design has once again been brought in to help with the design.