Amsterdam Rainbow Dress at Het Nieuwe Instituut
20 September 2016 10:00 - 25 September 2016 17:00
To mark Rotterdam Pride, Het Nieuwe Instituut, the Museum for Architecture, Design and Digital Culture in Museumpark, is presenting the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress, a work of art that calls for openness and inclusiveness, and encourages actively defending and sharing acquired liberties.
The dress is made up of the national flags from 72 countries where homosexuality is punishable by law, including 12 countries that can punish homosexual activity with the death penalty. With a diameter of 16 metres, the dress was first worn at the Gay Pride event in Amsterdam by top model Valentijn de Hingh, a transgender who expresses the message of the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress better than anyone.
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a 'living' work of art. Legislation in the countries represented on the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress will be reviewed annually to see if it has been amended. If homosexuality is no longer punishable in one of those countries, its flag will be replaced by a rainbow flag. This will be presented during an annual 'Amsterdam LGBT Freedom Ceremony', organized by COC Amsterdam. The Belize flag is currently being replaced by a rainbow flag.
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a project by COC Amsterdam and its volunteers, Arnout van Krimpen and Jochem Kaan (initiators), Oeri van Woezik (spatial designer) and Mattijs van Bergen (fashion designer).
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is on display in the foyer of Het Nieuwe Instituut. Admission is free.