THE AMSTERDAM CHAPTER

"A brief story about my time as a University student in Europe."

In February 2020, I moved to live in Amsterdam for the first time. Coming all the way from Cape Town, South Africa, integrating into the Dutch culture was certainly an experience in itself. Apart from the global pandemic outbreak of Covid-19 at the time, I was determined not to let these circumstances disrupt my learning.

Living in Europe has been a profound source of joy and inspiration in my life. Pursuing my education here has been an experience I hold very dear to my heart, and I will forever cherish it. I am deeply grateful for my family for their endless support in allowing me to pursue my passion. Upon my arrival in Amsterdam, I was captivated by the city's rich cultural heritage and historical legacy that graced the streets of its picturesque neighbourhoods.

A Symbol of Freedom.

I will never forget the day I got my first Swapfiets bicycle, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in the Netherlands they even had dedicated bicycle lanes to manage traffic - a contrast to my previous experiences in South Africa. The most nostalgic memory I have of this chapter of my life was waking up every morning to cycle my favourite bike route through the city. I would ride beneath the willow trees of Vondel Park, over the quaint little canal bridges, and under the arched tunnel of the Rijks Museum, where I could admire the Renaissance sculptures in the garden for free. On my drive home, I would always take a detour through Bilderdijkstraat, passing by Daily Paper and swing by my favourite bakery 'Loof' to buy their homemade croissants and freshly roasted coffee. Riding my bike through Amsterdam, while listening to Kendrick Lamar's 'good kid m.A.A.d city' album through my headphones, became the soundtrack of my youth - a symbol of unhindered freedom.

As the years went by, I was no longer confined to merely being 'a student within Amsterdam', I had now adopted the mindset of becoming 'a student of the world'. Eager to learn more about everything that surrounded me. Living in the Netherlands came with the advantages of being centrally located within Europe. Any other city was only a train ride away; three hour train to Paris, one hour train to Belgium, and only a one hour flight to London. Traveling became the new norm, and I made damn sure to take full advantage of it.

Europe fortuned me with a unique perspective of what it meant to live in a first world country. I was impressed by the level of bureaucratic efficiency and the transparent nature of everyday democracy that Europeans had. Everything seemed to function seamlessly, as it should. The efficiency of public transport systems, health care and accessibility to just about anything. Something I admired most about Amsterdam was the liberal freedom of its citizens. A model city in the sphere of European progressiveness, Amsterdam celebrated Pride Month as a national holiday, embracing marijuana in public spaces, and condoning sex workers in the Red Light District. The Dutch have a funny expression that I learned cannot be translated 'Gedogen', which is the equivalent of 'tolerated'. It is used for situations or activities that are technically illegal, but are actively tolerated as a matter of government policy. Simply because everyone knows that certain issues — such as prostitution or the use of soft drugs — can not be legislated anyway. Therefore, gedogen is something that is 'illegal, but not illegal'.

In retrospect, living in a city like Amsterdam, characterized by its culture of open-mindedness and permissiveness towards diverse aspects of life, instilled in me a symbolic sense of freedom to explore the path towards my own desired self. The art I had produced over the past three years of living here had become a sheer byproduct of a city that harmonized so intuitively with my creative aspirations. A manifestation of the synchronicity of energies.

The Hidden Gems I Discovered.

During my time integrating into the city, I began to explore different neighbourhoods around Amsterdam which led me to discover the city's emerging creative scene. My first encounter was with a local streetwear brand named Daily Paper. Every morning I would cycle past their store on Bilderdijkstraat, curious to understand the meaning behind their logo. I recognized the Zulu shield from the time I used to live in South Africa. After visiting their space, I learned that the brand was created by three founders all from different African heritage; Morocco, Ghana and Somalia. I admired their work because the brand stood for uniting African heritage by creating a platform for aspiring creatives. I was inspired by the creation of their Freedom Skatepark in Ghana, Accra's first fully functional skate park created in collaboration with Off-White. As I wandered through their store, admiring the streetwear garments, I suddenly recognized a Sole DXB magazine resting on the countertop. Sole DXB was one of the most symbolic experiences I had while living in Dubai. In that moment, I knew it was a sign. This experience led me to work there for a brief period, which is how I met my best friend, Asli.

When reflecting about my time in Amsterdam, I feel compelled to dedicate a brief chapter about my encounter with Asli, because she was one of those people who profoundly shaped my perspective on the world. My favourite time would be all those hours we would spend sitting at cafés engaging in discussions about the meaning of life, synchronicity of energy, the mysterious ways of the universe. Our conversations had always inspired me to tap into my creative flow, which is partially the reason why 'Artsoul' became what it is today. I am genuinely grateful for our friendship, and the invaluable lessons I learned along the way.

Discovering Daily Paper and meeting Asli, was just the beginning of navigating my way through Amsterdam's creative scene. I then began to immerse myself in the world of galleries. I spent a lot of time by myself visiting art exhibitions, aiming to understand how curatorial design within spaces can be used to enhance storytelling. This sparked my interest in experiential design, the idea of immersing people in a world filled with imagination, challenging the boundaries of our very perspective.

It was not until I met Asli that I started enjoying going to art galleries with someone other than myself for once. I felt as though I found someone who also shared the same deep-routed appreciation for art. I remember one day, we visited the Van Gogh Museum, where we both, unknowingly, spent three hours wandering through the halls of his iconic self-portraits, reluctant to leave. I tried to contemplate what precisely it was about Van Gogh's exhibition that heightened my experience. Beyond the obvious brilliance of his masterpieces, there was a multi-sensory element of playful storytelling which the gallery curators brought to life. I recall one wall where his portrait hung, and guests had the ability to alter and manipulate the wallpaper's colours with a simple touch of a button, completely transforming the mood of the room. Additionally, the curators thoughtfully positioned open tables equipped with drawing materials, extending an invitation for visitors to take a moment sit down, pause, reflect and freely express themselves. Perhaps, I subconsciously noticed these small details due to my background in hospitality, or simply because, deep down I knew I had developed a passion for curatorial design. Nevertheless, Van Gogh's exhibition will forever symbolize the peak of my curiosity while living in Amsterdam.

In May 2023, my two close childhood friends, Daisy and Aya, came to visit me in Amsterdam. This trip held a sense of nostalgia, particularly because I had known Daisy since the age of 14 and we shared the experience of being in the same art class together when we were kids. Over the years, both Daisy and I have seen our artistic styles change and evolve as we grew as individuals. However, during our reunion, it was truly beautiful to watch our creative energy realign once again.

Throughout our time together, we began to explore Amsterdam's vibrant gallery scene. One notable visit was the Moco exhibition, where we had the opportunity to admire the creations of renowned artists such as Banksy, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michelle Basquiat. During my visit, I discovered a Dutch contemporary artist who goes by the name of 'The Kid'. I admired his work because he had a unique multidisciplinary approach to conveying a variety of social and political messages, which highlighted the polarized world of the 21st century. His technique of fragmented imagery, inspired my own collaging technique.

The underlying motif behind his work was that 'Behind every exquisite thing, there is something tragic'. Which is one thing all of his subjects had in common, that behind their youth and beauty lies a tragic story - like a flower destined to fade. This made me reflect about my favourite quote about artistic expression; "At the heart of all great art is an essential melancholy". In my eyes, The Kid successfully managed to capture these defining moments, caught between innocence and corruption.

After Moco, our next stop was an art gallery in NDSM called 'STRAAT'. To this day, it remains one of my most memorable exhibitions I had experienced Amsterdam. STRAAT houses an impressive collection of street art and graffiti within a former shipyard warehouse. It was on this day when I gained a broader understanding and appreciation for the origins of graffiti subculture.

Overall, each experience that took place in Amsterdam, inspired a different aspect of 'Artsoul'. The art I have been exposed to during my time living in Europe, laid the groundworks and building blocks for my imagination to ideate even further than what my eyes have seen. The notion of transforming the non-physical into the physical realm.

"If your mind can imagine it, your soul can live it."