An art object and meeting place in one. The white staircase with its dynamic shapes, clean lines and white color was intended to be part of everyday life, but became a symbol for vanished ideals.
Ontmoetingsplaats was created by artist Shinkichi Tajiri, a child of Japanese immigrants. He witnessed parts of World War II which resulted in an idealistic approach on life by which Tajiri also created this artwork. He intended that Ontmoetingsplaats would integrate into everyday life in order to reach a larger audience. The artwork would function as a sit area or even as a small open-air theater where people could converse with one another and gain greater mutual understanding. But things took a different turn: due to protests from the neighborhood, the process was delayed and the artwork never became the social venue that the artist had envisioned. The work nowadays seems to be in a state of abandonment.
This artwork belongs to the series of Sunday Sculptures that Stadscuratorium Amsterdam posts on Instagram every Sunday.
