elmgreen & dragset: the one & the many

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset: the one & the many rotterdam’s submarine wharf, rotterdam on now until september 25th, 2011

the danish-norwegian art duo of elmgreen & dragset (michael elmgreen and ingar dragset) present their first solo show in the netherlands, ‘the one & the many’, at rotterdam’s submarine wharf, organized by museum boijmans van beuningen and the port of rotterdam.

the expansive exhibition takes over the submarine wharf’s 5000m industrial space, transforming it into a run down, deprived and desolate neighbourhood. here the duo has created a surreal environment that features a specially designed block of flats, large industrial disposal bins, a parking lot with mechanics working on a white stretch limo, public toilets… a large neon sign hangs above stating ‘the one & the many’, while a functioning ferris wheel sits in the middle of it all. visitors are invited to become voyeurs and take a spin on the amusement park ride that is run by two operators, to get a better view into the constructed apartments. this atmosphere puts one in a hallucinatory state, unable to decipher between reality and the made-up, leaving a sinister feeling throughout.

the exhibition is curated by guest curator nicolette gast, who is a member of the port of rotterdam’s art committee.

a ferris wheel sits in the middle of the industrial space offering visitors a ride to take a peek into the constructed apartment block elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

coinciding with the show is elmgreen & dragset’s new work ‘it’s never too late’. the work consists of a vitrine on a dark granite plinth housing a polished stainless-steel megaphone. each day, just before midday, someone will appear, open the door of the case and remove the megaphone. at exactly twelve o’clock, they will exclaim into the megaphone: ‘it’s never too late to say sorry’. this performance / sculpture will be performed in rotterdam daily for at least a year.

a large neon sign stating ‘the one & the many’ hangs above elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

large industrial disposal bins are situated within the eerie neighbourhood elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

public toilets have been installed as part of the exhibition elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011)

museum boijmans van beuningen

photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

a stretch limo is situated in a ‘parking lot’ area where two mechanics work on it elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen

elmgreen & dragset in front of the submarine wharf (2011) photo: femke hoogland

rotterdam’s submarine wharf – the site of the exhibition elmgreen & dragset – the one & the many (2011) museum boijmans van beuningen photo: tot en met ontwerpen