ZieZo Marokko, installation by Kossmann.dejong

Dutch firm Kossmann.dejong specialises in the architecture of exhibitions and shows and has created the latest interactive showcase at the Tropenmuseum Junior in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where young people can get to know Morocco: “ZieZo Marokko”. A journey packed with surprises, just like life itself.



The Dutch term “ZieZo Marokko” here means “you can see Morocco like this, you can see Morocco like that - how do you see Morocco?”.  A title for this new interactive exhibition at the Tropenmuseum Junior in Amsterdam that explains what this show is all about: experiencing a completely different world so you can broaden your horizons and go beyond prejudices. A particularly important aspect for children in a period in history where there is a huge return to the fear of differences.



Kossmann.dejong opted to base everything around a Moroccan medina, a white city with a labyrinth of pathways and shortcuts and corners, all obtained using optical illusions that create an apparently endless world.



The backdrop is furnished with real objects both from Morocco and from the museum collections, since the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam is one of Europe's leading ethnographic museums. It has eight permanent collections and a series of temporary exhibitions focusing clearly on the visual arts and targeting young visitors.





The journey of discovery at “ZieZo Marokko” is accompanied by four well-known Dutch-Moroccan personalities who welcome visitors into their “guest rooms”, to tell them all about their own personal experiences. The start of a journey that is a mixture of virtual audio-visual media and real interaction, where children can cook up a storm in a real Moroccan kitchen, puzzle over a mosaic pattern or have fun on a crazy bus “ride” through the Moroccan landscape.



Kossmann.dejong has created an installation-exhibition that is much more than a classic visit to the museum: they have turned this into a total immersive experience of a different country and a different culture. And the thing is that when we know something and we like it, it's hard to be scared of that something in the future. ZieZo Marokko is a sign that can help counteract xenophobia, a concrete step towards an increasingly global and multicultural society where interaction and inclusion form the foundation for civil cohabitation.
The exhibition opened on 17 October 2015.

Christiane Bürklein

concept & design: Kossmann.dejong and Tropenmuseum
light design: Marc Heinz
light installation: De Cirkel
AV: MAV techniek and Tropenmuseum
graphic design / DTP: Lava Design
construction: Kloosterboer Decor
construction decor Kasbah: Gunilla Andersson
photos: Thijs Wolzak
Client: Tropenmuseum Junior
Location: Tropenmuseum Junior Amsterdam
Surface: 475 m2
Status: temporary (expected 2,5 years)