Boijmans Ahoy Drive-Thru Museum in Rotterdam

The extraordinary situation of this moment in time has spawned a range of cultural initiatives that aim to overcome the many, objective difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, setting new ground rules for many sectors. As we have already discussed here, a lot of museums have opened their doors again, providing new ways to enjoy their artworks. 
Another unique situation has now arisen in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands: the famous Boijmans Van Beuningen museum will be closed for the next seven years for restoration and consolidation work. The Art Depot Boijmans - a round-shaped architectural landmark with a mirrored facade, designed by MVRDV - will be completed in September but will only open to the general public in 2021. The halls of the Ahoy event location are empty, the museum is closed, and many Rotterdammers are staying close to home for the holiday period. So the city’s two cultural icons joined forces to craft an unforgettable experience, consisting of a surprising exhibition of more than fifty internationally renowned artworks from the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum collection plus installations from a range of invited artists. All to be enjoyed from the confines of an electric car. 
The Boijmans Ahoy Drive-Thru Museum was created in response to the 1.5-metre social distancing rule and to highlight the current tension between man and nature. The world we have created is under pressure and nature is demanding more space. Despite its microscopic size, the coronavirus has unleashed chaos everywhere, exposing our vulnerabilities and the limits of our existence on earth. We fell back to our most basic needs and retreated into the groups where we feel safest. Art can give us comfort and help us put things into perspective. These works highlight the unpredictable and fickle nature of human existence, exploring the confines between humanity and the forces of nature. Visitors drive through the space, enjoying everything from the cocooned safety of their car. Once they enter the exhibition, they can only go in one direction - straight ahead.
The exhibition concept is based on an idea of Ted Noten. It presents world-famous artworks from the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum collection plus installations by contemporary artists that reflect on how people related to their natural environment. The Boijmans Ahoy Drive-Thru Museum brings together works by Ted Noten, Oskar Kokoschka, Bas Jan Ader, Melanie Smith, Paul McCarthy, Bruce Nauman, Ugo Rondinone, Cyprien Gaillard, Joep van Lieshout, Wieki Somers and Jim Shaw, and installations by Bas Princen, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Anselm Kiefer, Olaf Nicolai and Marijke van Warmerdam.
The Ahoy space is dimly lit, with the exhibition illuminated by the headlights of the cars passing through. The Promenade ticket gives you entry to a special visitors’ gallery of the art exhibition on foot, where you can see some masterpieces of the Boijmans collection. Visitors can also enter the outdoor Transit area of the drive-thru with a test area for the cars and a café with terrace. Another way to make the most of a unique show in terms of its location and also because of the way it immerses you in the art experience.
You can visit the Boijmans Ahoy Drive-Thru Museum until 23 August.

Christiane Bürklein

Boijmans Ahoy Drive-Thru Museum
from an idea of Ted Noten
Project: West8
from 1 to 23 August 2020
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Images: see captions - Aad Hoogendoorn, Ernst Moritz, Amie Galbraith (@styleandstill)
Find out more: https://www.boijmans.nl/en/exhibitions/boijmans-ahoy-drive-thru-museum