About
Liquid Society is a platform run by local artists in Leiden. The purpose is to boost artistic experimentation in the city. This is done by setting up temporary art spaces where artists, residents and knowledge partners can partake in creative experiments that are open to everyone. All this results in a programme of events whereby artistic processes and outcomes are made available to the public beyond passive spectatorship.
Our mission
Our mission is to create in-between spaces. These spaces stimulate experimentation and connection between members of society, who are usually not connected, such as artists, knowledge partners and residents of Leiden. We create a climate which allows everyone to get over their own boundaries, so they could think, experiment, exchange, contribute, imagine and question possible scenarios for a better common future. Without the usual limits of academic, artistic institution’s traditions, social expected behaviour or stigmatisation
Edition 2020 / 21 Shifting Normalities is an open answer to questions yet to be asked. Normal situations are those within the norms, that is, within natural regularities and social conventions. Since both nature and society are dynamic in their own ways, normality is never really fixed. COVID-19 has made this clearer than ever. The recent past of the pre-crisis and the near future of the post-crisis is separated by the present moment. We are not doomed but we are not out of the woods. We are in transition. This is our window of opportunity to rethink our own condition, which demands a fluid, in-between space of interaction where normality is a moving target. How shall we deal with the city? What to do with our bodies, technologies and everything else? Liquid Society 2020 will focus on this notion of in-between space as the unavoidable setting for artistic experimentation today.
As stated in our manifesto, Liquid Society provides artists and producers with a space to experiment, and give them the means to answer the city’s call for ‘more space for experimental art (2017)’. The manifesto was initiated at BurgertopL750 (Leiden, The Netherlands), a civic event aimed at formulating political and cultural topics for the near future. The manifesto is written by several artists and cultural bodies in Leiden City.
We believe that experiment gives birth to art, art gives birth to culture and culture leads to inspiring (everyday) surroundings that are free to share.
Liquid Society is a collaboration between visual artist Sven Meijers, social and cultural entrepreneur Lot Vegter, visual artist Emma van Noort, Egyptian artist and producer Abdalla Daif and producer Carlos Roos We will stage art programms alternating between science, performance art, visual art, art expositions and educational activities, all reinforcing one another. Liquid Society enables artists to look past their own disciplines, engage with other art professionals and find inspiration in other disciplines and in domains outside the art world.
Liquid Society is curated by Sven Meijers and Abdalla Daif