GEDOGEN + AMSTERDAM CORE
ART DIRECTION FOR WIEDEN+KENNEDY AMSTERDAM AD-NIGHTArt Director
Step into the chaos that’s been brewing for 750 years of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is a city built on contradictions, and for one night only, W+K served them on a plate, Amsterdam core style. At the heart of it all lies gedogen: literally “illegal but tolerated.” More than a definition, it is an attitude, a way of life that bends rules and privileges truth over power.
As art director, I guided the project from conceptualisation to execution, shaping both its visual identity and spatial presence. At its centre was an exhibition of 75 figurines, presented as striking images alongside their 3D-printed counterparts. Borrowing gestures and details from the city itself, the figurines embodied the contradictions of everyday Amsterdam. Each one was a crystallised “gedogen moment”, witty, absurd, and recognisable, crafted in the language of Dutch tradition but infused with contemporary humour.
Beyond the proposal of the exhibition concept, I designed the posters, digital communication materials, and postcards that guests could take home, extending the experience beyond the event itself. Together, these elements built a cohesive identity that echoed Amsterdam’s balance of chaos and creativity.
The evening also featured a talk by Jonas Kooyman, creator of havermelkelite, and a live DJ set, expanding the conversation around gedogen into dialogue and celebration.
Gedogen+ is a series of cultural events, musings, and provocations that celebrate the voices that inspire W+K. With Amsterdam Core, we turned the city’s contradictions into a stage—transforming tolerance, humour, and resistance into a shared experience.