#69 The Way

We invite you to enter a space of intentional transition—a threshold between the everyday and a profound encounter with Stephanie Schuitemaker’s ‘path’, her ‘way’ into the current groupshow Manifestation #53: I Must Still Grow in the Dark. In this third collaboration between Stephanie Schuitemaker and Buro Stedelijk, following Manifestation #1: Listening Sessions (April 14, 2023) and Manifestation #31: Hosting Darkness together with Berber Meindertsma (January 11, 2024), we explore how presence itself becomes a curatorial practice. This evening invites us to consider: What does it mean to curate not just objects, but states of being? How do we prepare the ground of our attention for connection (in darkness)?

The Way is a transition space, formed by a series of woollen carpets, gently guiding guests from the outside world into a state of grounded attention.

Inspired by the roji, the path leading to the Japanese tea ceremony, this space offers a moment of inner preparation, inviting us to fully receive what is to come. Along the southern coast of Norway, embraced by woollen blankets and sweaters passed down through generations, the rocks form my path and open a deeper connection to the creative source. It is this energy I wish to bring forth and host others with.

The curved, uneven forms of the carpets are drawn from this southern coast, where I feel most rooted. This is the landscape where the sheep once grazed, where my family has lived for generations, and where the wool was spun. Made from the final batch of undyed wool, each thread carries the colours, textures, and quiet rhythms of the land itself. With varied textures, soft edges, and stepping stones, The Way invites slowness, play, and presence. It is both a physical and symbolic space of transition. The work was created in collaboration with tufting master Karen Zeedijk at the TextielMuseum in Tilburg. The Way is now part of my hosting team.

How does one prepare for an encounter with art, not just with our appearance, but with our attention? Before entering the exhibition, you are invited into a space of transition. A space that welcomes you to slow down, soften your senses, and let the noise of the day settle.

I will guide you through presence shaped by the listening body of Gaga, the relational flow of Aikido, and the grounded breath of meditation. Through our presence, we hold space for others, just as they hold it for us.

A curved, uneven woollen path, rising from the Norwegian coast, leads you deeper into presence. In moments between the stillness, an edible ikebana by Uno offers a gentle awakening of the senses.

This is an evening of outer and inner stillness, allowing us to listen to the voices of the art, to be touched, moved, and perhaps quietly transformed.

Free entrance with ticket / Gratis toegang met ticket
June 12, 18:30 – 20:30

To honour the intimacy of this gathering, we welcome guests in three waves of 30 minutes:
18:30, 19:00, and 19:30

Please note:
– You’ll be asked to remove your shoes.
– Clean bare feet or joyful socks are welcome.
– The evening will unfold in silence.
– Late arrivals may be invited to join the next round.

Location: Central Space
Entrance: Paulus Potterstraat 13, Amsterdam