Steve McQueen, a renowned artist, expresses a sense of profound purpose in his role, as he prepares for a monumental film screening in Amsterdam, stating, "Never have I felt more useful than now."
In the heart of Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum's grand facade has become a canvas for a powerful visual narrative. British artist Steve McQueen's documentary, "Occupied City," is projected onto the museum's walls, offering viewers a unique perspective of the city.
"Occupied City" is a 34-hour film that overlays present-day Amsterdam with the memory of its Nazi occupation. McQueen, through his poignant work, invites us to see Amsterdam as it is and as it was - a city living with its history in every brick and paving stone.
The film is not solely about the past, but also about the contemporary world. McQueen emphasises this, pointing out recent events in Ukraine, Palestine, and Somalia as relevant to the film's contemporary significance.
Deportations, torture, denunciation are some of the historical events covered in the film. Yet, McQueen's filming of Amsterdam has changed his relationship with the city, making him fall in love with it more. He presents Amsterdam as a layered palimpsest, where beauty and brutality coexist.
McQueen was granted rare access during the filming, allowing him to capture the city's true essence. The film pairs patient images of the city with a voiceover recounting historical events that occurred at those locations 80 years ago.
Classrooms, houses, and entire neighbourhoods in Amsterdam carry the memory of past atrocities. The film serves as a catalogue of absence, with the voiceover enumerating addresses, occupations, and atrocities, while the camera focuses on present-day life.
Steve McQueen's film functions as a testament to the idea of freedom. He feels that his role as an artist is particularly relevant and useful in the current context.
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) screened "Occupied City" during the period from January 2023 to January 2025. The film will continue to be screened at the Rijksmuseum until 12 January 2025 (rijksmuseum.nl).
As the Rijksmuseum's walls host "Occupied City," they serve as a reminder that ordinary spaces can conceal extraordinary brutality. McQueen highlights how deceptive the surface of Amsterdam can be, as places like a prison courtyard and Gestapo headquarters have been transformed into quiet plazas and schools.
Watching "Occupied City" at the Rijksmuseum allows us to see Amsterdam in a new light, understanding the city's past and present in a way that is both haunting and enlightening. McQueen's achievement with "Occupied City" lies in making the doubleness of Amsterdam visible, showing how the everyday deceives and how, once revealed, cannot be unseen.
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