easyCity ............. 2002

This so called Guerilla Expo is a project initiated by urban geographer Bas van de Geyn and Vrije ruimte, an organization that supports and creates ‘free spaces’. After a well co-ordinated squating action in the middle of Kinkerstraat - a busy shopping street in Amsterdam - participants transformed the empty shop space into a new and trendy looking easyCity filial. Within a few days the newcomer became a success in the neighborhood and easyCity workers were receiving positive reactions from the curious shoppers. After a similar action which blockaded one of the main shopping streets of Vienna, Vrije ruimte is planning to further globalize their easyCity concept. In addition to t-shirts and posters the main thing that easyCity is selling are new perspectives and alternatives for the shopping mentality.

The space of easyCity in Amsterdam also included an art exhibition. One of the works was Safety Rope, my collaboration with Bas van de Geyn and Floris de Graad (images 7 and 8). This installation concerned ‘the ecology of fear’ - the production of fear in western society.

See also publication easyCity