Amsterdam
and the public sculpture of Lucien den Arend
Amsterdam has been applying the open application procedure since the seventies. This means that Building projects are publicized in BK informatie, a magazine made available to artists. The artist can send documentation to the advisory committee who commissions a small number of the applicants to make a paid proposal. The most interesting one is chosen and this artist gets to make a final proposal which is put before the committee which advises the city council to give the green light. During the eighties Lucien den Arend applied for a number of projects and the result can be seen on these pages.
Since the end of the nineties however the Amsterdam's Fonds voor de Kunst, which became independent in 1995. has a small number of advisors who base their selection on their personal knowledge of the art scene. They were given the freedom to make their own choices often make contact with internationally successful artists. Smaller projects are available for the local artists to compete for. During the closing years of the second millennium Lucien den Arend was a member of the advisory committee which preceded the select group of advisors. His pleas for the more democratic selection system were to no avail. The choices had been made.
