Kunst & Cultuur op het Tolhuistuinterrein

Art and culture at Tolhuistuin. Besides a bite in the restaurant or a visit to a concert or talk show, you'll come across all sorts of things. From 30-metre wall artworks to hidden audio tours among the trees. Below is an overview of the experiences you can discover on the grounds:

I Turn My Blood Into Milk For You | Carmen Schabracq

The great feelings of motherhood, that's what the new exhibition at Metroscope is all about. Since becoming a mother herself, motherhood has been artist Carmen Schabracq's great inspiration, taking you into the wonderful world of the female body, maternal feelings and the veneration of the primal mother, among other things. Her expression is expressed in paintings, textile work and masks exhibited in specially designed small sets.
As in her entire art practice, the Metroscope's viewing boxes provide the ideal opportunity for theatre and visual art to come together in one image when you look through the little hole.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-17:00 and for visitors of concerts and cultural events
Location: ground floor, Pavilion (entrance IJpromenade 2, near the lockers)

Animal Insurrection | Andy Dockett

Animal Insurrection (A.I.) imagines a future in which non-human animals have used their collective power to overthrow the ruling species of planet Earth. This work was created using Midjourney and digital printing techniques.

This artwork is part of Climate Imaginaries at Sea.

Location: ground floor, Pavilion (entrance IJpromenade 2, near the toilets)

Lost Flowers Almanac | Abner Preis

An Augmented Reality artwork featuring five different digital gardens scattered across the Tolhuist garden grounds. Together they form a pop-up book, as it were: from extinct flowers long lost, to the return of grey wolves to the Netherlands; from a forest that heals to flowers in the sky.
You can explore natural life in past and blooming form as they were depicted by explorers, preserved in museum collections around the world.
This artwork can be experienced with your phone by following the QR code. Each marker opens a new digital environment in your Instagram app. More info
In collaboration with Floriade, courtesy of AFK.

Location: Garden (Tuin) (entrance Tolhuisweg 3)

The Crow | Jaap Scheeren

The Crow comes from Jaap Scheeren's photography project 'Flipping the Bird'. This project is a narrative visual report of a long and intensive walk in the dunes. An extraordinary, surrealistic, humorous and confrontational dialogue between man, flora and fauna emerges. The work holds up a mirror to the viewer and shows in both deadly serious and absurdist ways how we relate to nature. www.jaapscheeren.nl

Location: Buiksloterweg

Artist in Residence | Talisa Harjono

Tolhuistuin believes in the power of art to highlight social issues. From March to June 2023, Tolhuistuin invites an artist to work in our 'Bridge House'. This time: Talisa Harjono.

Talisa walks the fine line between art and investigative journalism in her work. Her starting point is often sociological in line with her own experience. For research, she goes on a personal quest, placing her body where her questions are. She questions laws and social norms around public space, (il)legality, symbolism and ownership. Her work often finds form in site-specific installations, performance and video.

Location: Brughuis (Tolhuisweg 3, near Leeshuis)

Birds Don’t Sing, They Shout | Talisa Harjono

An audio sculpture denouncing the role of Europe and Frontex in relation to (climate) refugees. One of the new 'tools' introduced by Frontex in 2021 was a sound cannon. This is a weapon that 'fires' sound of 162 decibels in a targeted manner. The volume of this sound is equivalent to a fighter jet taking off. This sound is reminiscent of our air raid alarm. 'Birds don't Sing, they Shout' questions the versatility of using sound, how it also acts as a weapon of deterrence.
The sculpture is linked to the X account of AlarmPhone, an aid organisation that collects information from people in need and uses it to put pressure on the local authorities responsible.

Location: Garden (Tuin) (entrance: Tolhuisweg 3)

Entrance to North | Bureau Burgerberaad

Why the Netherlands needs a climate citizens' council. Politics should not be left to politicians. After all, our problems are too complicated for that. Especially a multi-headed monster like climate change requires a multi-headed approach. More and more countries therefore work with citizens' councils, in which residents from all walks of life work together to find solutions to the biggest problems of our time.
This wall drawing by Bureau Citizens' Council and Creative Beards shows how citizens' councils work and why they are crucial for a strong democracy and a healthy planet.

Location: bus loop Buiksloterweg

The Wild North | Joost Janmaat & Reem Saouma

Between the paving stones of the Vogelbuurt neighbourhood and along the A10, all sorts of things bloom and grow. Snorkelling and canoeing, we see Goshawks, Eels and Yellow-cheeked Turtles. In the Fly Forest, you realise among the glowworms that Noord still has the darkest nights. With work by Kristian de la Riva, Jaap Scheeren, Joost Janmaat, Thijs de Zeeuw and Pim Leenen. Wild North is an ode to nature in Amsterdam North. Two years of expeditions from Tolhuistuin resulted in the city nature guide by Joost Janmaat and Reem Saouma. The nature guide (in Dutch) is for sale at TIP Amsterdam, at IJpromenade 2 below the restaurant. www.hetwildenoorden.nl

Gates Tolhuistuin | ATMosphere

"Building is our second nature, and nature our first love." The Garden's three gates were created by artist collective ATMosphere, consisting of Marisja Smit, Thijs Trompert and Antal Bos. ATMosphere designs accessible architectural sculptures that stimulate the senses. The architectural team has a penchant for working in public spaces, in the middle of society. They aim for work that tells its own story, inspires and invites society to participate. Many of their architectural installations are striking landmarks where nature and culture come together. https://www.atm-atmosphere.nl Location: Garden (entrance: Tolhuisweg 3)

Walk of Doubts | Eef van Breen Group

"You have just left the scene of a break-up. You're confused and emotional..."

Walk of Doubts is a musical city walk by Eef van Breen Group. The music about love and break-up takes you on a compelling walk through the city and your own imagination. From a comforting ukulele song and whimsical jazz to a virtuoso cello solo.
During this route of about 1.5 hours through Overhoeks and Van der Pek, you imagine yourself the protagonist in your own film with Amsterdam Noord as its backdrop.
Listen to the audio walk through this link.
More info

Location: Garden (entrance: Tolhuisweg 3)

Reading House (Leeshuis)

At the Reading House, books are given a second life. You can read books, bring books and take or exchange books. The books are available free of charge. 

The Reading House is part of the Tolhuistuin and is run by volunteers. These trained volunteers also provide language coaching and other activities. Leeshuis.com

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 12-17 hours
Location: Tolhuisweg 4

What are we waiting for? | Laura Rutten (Klimaatmuseum)

When do we act to solve the climate crisis? Do we wait until the water reaches our lips, or do we quickly ensure that we keep our feet dry?
The park bench was decaying in a council workshop. We nicely upcycled it into this installation.
What are we waiting for? was part of the project Klimaat Op Straat. The production was carried out by Amsterdam Street Art.

Location: IJpromenade 2 (next to the river)

Ah Ah Ah Ah Staying Alive | Job Wouters & Gijs Frieling

Freeling Waters is a collaborative project by designer Job Wouters and muralist Gijs Frieling. They paint antique wooden cabinets. Once the transformation is complete, the cabinets can start moving again as free radicals exactly between the disciplines of their makers: those of applied and autonomous arts.
What is new is that for this commission they have also started to focus on the literal content of the cabinets. They use a very free arsenal of references to the state of the world with its climate crisis.

Location: ground floor Pavilion (entrance IJpromenade 2)

Breath for the Earth | Eva van Manen & Isa van Lier

Breath for Earth is a poetic audio tour in which Eva van Manen musically takes you through the Tolhuistuin Garden past Isa van Lier's hidden ceramic creatures that welcome you from the trees. The audio tour builds on Eva's EP 'Le Hérou'. An EP on which field recordings, soft guitars, comforting lyrics and bass parts are mixed into a series of comforting songs for which nature was the major inspiration.

Location: Garden (Tolhuisweg 3)

Remember to Inundate | Collective Walden

Our city is finite. If we look at the water level predictions, Amsterdam will be under water within 250 years. The maximum potential sea level rise, if all the land ice on our planet melts, is 70 metres. In Tolhuistuin, Collectief Walden is building a memorial that changes with the rising water level. How do we commemorate a disaster yet to come? And how does this affect the choices we make today?

Location: Buiksloterweg