It's easy to simply walk past the art space at the Noorderstation. In the corner next to the entrance to the café is an area with a white stairwell. At first glance, it looks like a group of holidaymakers have temporarily stored their suitcases there. But the suitcases are Johan van der Dong's art project Vlucht naar Voren (Fleeing to the Front).
The café under the Noorderstation looks quite modern from the outside, but is like an old-fashioned pub inside. The smoking section is larger than the non-smoking section and also full of old men: ‘They're here to escape the grey perms at home,’ Van der Dong says with a chuckle.
Johan van der Dong is a Groningen-based artist. His best-known work is 2009's Hotline naar God (The God Hotline): ‘If you want to learn more about it, just look on Wikipedia,’ says Van der Dong when I start talking about that project. The hotline was a mobile phone with the voicemail, “You’ve reached God. I’m not here right now,’ where people could leave messages. The phone received around 350,000 calls and the project earned Van der Dong a lot of media attention: ‘I didn't know there were so many BBCs, but I had one after another on the phone.’
Vlucht naar Voren has been on display in the art space at the Noorderstation since 5 November 2015. After a traditional tour in which everyone was allowed to participate, people could place their suitcases on the stairs. The artist wants people to think about the refugee in themselves. He wants people to put themselves in the shoes of refugees and think about what it would be like to have to leave hearth and home. The project is still in the initial stages. ‘I want to start expanding it to the larger cities,’ explains Van der Dong. He is in the process of setting it up in Amsterdam, but on a larger scale.
I don't think people immediately associate suitcases with refugees. Personally, they made me think more about going on holiday. There is a letter on the wall explaining the project, but it too is tucked away rather well. According to Van der Dong, that is not necessarily the case: 'As an artist, I want to give people something to think about. I don't have to give my opinion.’
The suitcases symbolise travel and the location of the art space was chosen deliberately. Van der Dong explains: ‘This station is full of obstacles; you can’t get past everything. The train is also symbolic.’ Van der Dong is referring to the Second World War, which the current refugee situation reminds him of. ‘That’s how a diaspora is born,’ he says. ‘It started that way with the Jews. No one thought it was strange that they were no longer allowed to enter the Vondelpark. There is a sliding scale.’
Van der Dong himself knows exactly what he would put in his suitcase if he had to flee: ‘Paint, brushes and pastels. That's all I need. If I'm going to swap the temporal for the eternal, I also want a chest full of coloured pastels." Vlucht naar Voren will be on display at the Noorderstation art space until 31 December.
Text: Patriecia Kolthof
Image: Werner Danhof