Councilor Eva Oosters visits Wat Maakt West!? on Westplein
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On a sunny Monday morning, councilor Eva Oosters visited Westplein in the Lombok district. The visit centered on the program Wat Maakt West!? and Gemene Grond. A walk filled with art and local stories revealed the power of collaboration and community-driven culture in the neighborhood.
We gathered in the train carriage of Perron West, where Ramiro Gomes Monteiro welcomed the group and shared the story of how he, Tinka van der Kooij, and Angelina Kumar founded Perron West and The Creative Playground. Together with the neighborhood and Gemene Grond, they have organized many initiatives over the years.
We visited the temporary exhibition Wat Maakt West!?, including the walking path and artworks ‘A Liminal Space – A Green Oasis’ by artist Sarah Kaushik. Then we viewed the large poppy capsule ‘Poppy’ by Marij Nielen and heard about her podcast Poppy Seed. The artwork Grondstof by Take a Detour showcased a 5-meter-long soil core, revealing layers of earth from the Ice Age to today. The visit concluded in the Stadsklooster, where a wall tapestry — the second part of Grondstof — is displayed. Mirte Bulsink and Mahika Knopper shared the cultural vision for this former church. The morning ended with a conversation about co-creating the city — a topic dear to councilor Oosters.
