Forthcoming exhibition

Shashin Art Bookshop

© Siobhan Wall 2008

Yesterday I met with Yannick Bouillis, the owner of Shashin Art Bookshop, to discuss the launch of the book Quiet Amsterdam, which will take place in late September. I was invited to show black and white photographs from the book in the small gallery at Shashin.

Another shot of Plantage Westermanlaan

This park is by a main road but it's still quite peaceful. The lawn is surrounded by lime trees and there are a few straggly rose bushes next to some green painted benches.

Lime Trees near the Zoo

Plantage Westermanlaan

Last week the streets nearby smelt wonderful as the lime trees were in bloom. I then went away to Northumberland for five days to take photographs and when I returned the blossom had gone. Despite the absence of spring flowers on the linden trees, there were at least six people sitting on benches in this small park near to the Zoo this afternoon.

Other quiet places to sit

Yesterday afternoon I went to take photographs in Kastanjeplein near Oosterpark, as I liked the bronze abstract sculptures under the trees. They look like giant split open conker shells. It was really nice to see people sitting on benches under the chestnut trees in the dappled shade.


On my way home through Oosterpark I also saw around forty granite benches arranged in a semi-circle around the old bandstand. They reminded me of a ring of standing stones. No one was sitting there, however. I think I would feel self-conscious reading a book here as this area is like a performance space. This is the sort of place where I imagine an imaginative communal book reading event could take place. Would everyone read the same book, I wondered..?

Quiet Places to Sit

Bench at Huis Te Vraag © Siobhan Wall 2008

At last, the text has been written and the photographs sent off to the designer. 'Quiet Amsterdam' is almost ready! While I'm waiting for the typesetting to be completed (and this will be September, as the designer is away on holiday until August), I'll be posting some of the photographs that can't be included in the book. (I took far too many while wandering through the prettiest corners of the city).

This will be my unofficial guide to the best places to sit and read a book in Amsterdam and as the organisers of 'Amsterdam World Book City 2008' don't seem to be doing much to include non-Dutch speaking people, please share this with your friends, whether or not they plan to visit this beautiful city this year.